Between Two Lungs
by RoriLeeSmith
Summary: It's been five years since she's lived here. Almost two years since she's set foot in this town. So why was she coming back here? Well, that answer is simple. To escape; but to escape to this town, her old home of Mystic Falls. What was she thinking? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea... "But It's too late night now, Nilin," she whispered to herself. OC.
1. Info & Index

**Info**

Before you start reading there's a few things I'd like to mention. First off, music is a big part of my life so when I read I love making connections to my characters, story line etc. so in this story there is a lot of lyrics and what not. After each chapter I'll make sure to give credit to where credit is do.  
Another thing, I read The Vampire Diaries books by L.J. Smith before I watched the show. One thing in the books that I loved was the way she described the character's eyes; Damon had dark eyes, Stefan's were emerald and Elena's were this bright crystal blue. So when I wrote this story I added this part in, which is very different from the TV but I had to.

**Plot Line**

This story is me taking the plot line of The Vampire Diaries TV show and adding new elements, new characters and new twist. First you'll meet Nilin Gilbert, this is her story and you're along for the ride. My new characters and the old ones we all love and hate will be thrown together for some interesting outcomes. Anyway, thank you for reading. Favorite, Follow & Review.

ENJOY.

**Index**

Chapter One: The Homecoming

Chapter Two: The Encounter

Chapter Three: The First Night

Chapter Four: The Graveyard

Chapter Five: The Commons

Chapter Six: The Rose

Chapter Seven: The Dance

Chapter Eight: The Amulet

Chapter Nine: The Witch's Secret

Chapter Ten: The Book Store

Chapter Eleven: The Phone Call

Chapter Twelve: The Visit

Chapter Thirteen: The Victim's Secret

Chapter Fourteen: The Vampire's Secret

Chapter Fifteen: The Aftermath

Chapter Sixteen: The Picture

Chapter Seventeen: The Bar

Chapter Eighteen: The Honesty Hour

Chapter Nineteen: The One Good Reason

Chapter Twenty: The Truth

Chapter Twenty-One: The Journal

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Leverage

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Tomb

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Trapped

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Distraction

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Five Stages

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Small Steps

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Funeral

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Death Toll

Chapter Thirty: The Decision

Chapter Thirty-One: The Rebuttal

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Packaged Memories

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Back Door

Chapter Thirty-Four: The First Chance

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Car Ride

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Founders

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Social Studies Teacher

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Second Chance

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Boarding House

Chapter Forty: The Third Chance

Chapter Forty-One: The Sleeping Arrangements

Chapter Forty-Two: The Days at the Boarding House

Chapter Forty-Three: The Incidents

Chapter Forty-Four: The Sacrifice

Chapter Forty-Five: The Wake Up

Chapter Forty-Six: The Plan for the Captive

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Meadow

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Death

Chapter Forty-Nine: The Angel

Chapter Fifty: The Epilogue


	2. Chapter One: The Homecoming

**_Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking towards me, without hurrying._**

- Jean Cocteau.

* * *

**Chapter One: The Homecoming**

It's been five years since she's lived here. Almost two years since she's set foot in this town. And now, she was pulling up to the Mystic Grill; the only restaurant in Mystic Falls. Why did she come back here? Well, that answer is simple; to escape. But to escape to _this _town, to her old home... What was she thinking? What if what she was running from followed her here? _Maybe this was a bad idea_, she thought, but she'd already driven the miles and her Jeep was already in park.

"It's too late night now, Nilin," she whispered to herself. She looked behind her, to the back seat, where her guitar laid. Well, _since _she was coming back, she might as well come back with guns-a-blazing. She looked out her window towards the grill. It wasn't the fanciest of restaurants, but it was a part of the town and everyone hung out there. Currently, it was packed with kids. It was probably another Caroline Forb's parties, done to perfection, none of the less.

"Some things never change," she rolled her eyes, still gazing out the window, "Can't believe I'm doing this." Nilly adjusted her tank top, flipped her hair off her shoulders and tried to remember how to breathe. Then, she grabbed her guitar and headed for the entrance.

When she got inside, the restaurant was full of laughing, giggling teenagers. The air was hot and her heart was racing. This was a bad idea, maybe she should just turn around. She glanced behind her, her only exit was blocked by a swarm of people. _Great_. She ducked her head and retreated to the nearest shadow. Pressing herself and her guitar against the wall, she slowed her breathing and hoped no one had seen her. She could hear the rumble of voices and even in the dim light she could see the amount of people in the Grill. She was trapped in a public place filled with her past peers. What she was about to do was going to be one of the scariest things yet.

She peeked out of her shadow and saw her chance. Nilly quickly cut through the swaying crowed to the small stage set up across from the bar. She stood, guitar around her, in the middle of the platform staring at the blurred heads of the party. _They still don't notice me_, she thought to herself with a bitter smile. She sucked in a deep breath and turned the microphone on. The music began playing. Heart racing, she let out that breath with a loud whistle.

"I'm _baaaack_!" her voice rang into the microphone. Eyes turned towards her and she smiled. They were filled with shock and confusion, just what Nilly had been hoping for. Almost naturally, she began to strum the guitar and she swore she heard several 'gasps' from the crowd. Her smile widen as she started to sing,

"_I'll be the one, spin me around  
__Lifting you up, and holding me down.  
__Inside a heart is breaking, rivers running dry  
__I could run, I could hide  
__When I'm crashing down who's the one who saves me?  
__Oh, intertwined, wrap around me now with your thorns."_

She hit the pitches perfect, carelessly manipulating her voice. She gazed at the crowd again as she looked across the grill. That's when she caught those all too familiar blue eyes. Just like looking into the mirror, accepted her reflection's chin was dropped. She locked eyes and winked at her cousin; Elena Gilbert, high school sweetheart. Elena was standing in the one corner of the Grill, an arm braced against a table. She watched Elena's reaction as the sight playing out in front of her registered in her brain. Then she saw Elena's beautiful wide smile as she clapped her hands over her mouth. Nilly smiled back and finished out the chorus.

She looked at the crowd's faces, this time placing names with them. Sitting at a table was one of her cousin's closest friends. Bonnie Bennett was smiling a smile almost identical to Elena's. Nilly had grown close with Bonnie when they were little girls. Bonnie saw Nilly looking towards her and she waved. Nilly waved back at the bubbly Bonnie. Then she caught sight of a swirl of blonde and she immediately knew who it was; the hostess of the party Nilly was currently crashing, Caroline Forbes. Caroline had made it her mission to make Nilly's life miserable while she was living here, despite being another one of Elena's best friends. Why? Well, Nilly could never figure out, so she decided to give her a dazing smile and a wink.

"_And we're holding on when  
There's nothing left to hold on to  
So don't tell me when it's gone  
Cause' all I have left is you."_

Nilly sang, hitting the last note and cord with grace. The crowd erupted with applause but she did notice several sinkers and death stares, mostly coming from Caroline. But she didn't care. She had done it; she had returned home and shocked everyone. Nilly smiled, waved and bowed. She felt her heart rage in her chest. She was back in Mystic Falls and she just sang in front of a restaurant full of high schoolers. Something Nilly never thought possible. She had a surge of sudden confidence, a conformation that coming back was the right thing to do. Now she realized that, even though she was returning to her home town, it was different. The town of Mystic Falls had changed. Or was Nilly the one who changed? The thought weighed in her mind as she stepped off the stage. She turned sharply to go around when a pair of slight hands grabbed her.

"Nilly? I have to be dreaming," said the girl who had grabbed her.

Nilly smiled, her eyes beginning to water slightly, "If you're dreaming about me then I think we have a problem here, cousin."

Elena rolled her eyes at Nilly before she wrapped her arms around her. Hugging her, Nilly knew she was home. She'd missed her cousin so much since she'd left. They had grown up together and, even though Nilly was a year older, they were the best of friends. They had pulled each other through the hardest times and now she looked at Elena's face, which frighteningly resembled hers, and smiled.

"Oh god, I've missed you," she said, hugging her tighter. She was forced to unwillingly let go, for another pair of hands were grabbing her. She turned to find a scraggly haired Jeremy behind her.

"Jer!" she yelled and swung her arms around him. She had to stand on her tippy-toes to hug him, when did he get so tall?

"Well, looks who decided to come back," he said, sarcastically. Jeremy was yet another Gilbert, and her younger cousin. He was like the brother she never had, and they were just as close. Truthfully, Nilly's never seen neither Elena nor Jeremy as cousins. They had been sharing the same crib since they were born. They were her sister and brother and she didn't know where she'd be without them. Nilly let go of him and looked around her.

"Well, I'm here now. We should celebrate," she said grabbing Elena's hands. In return, they both gave her eye rolls as she led them towards the pool table.

* * *

_It couldn't be, it just wasn't possible, _Stefan thought to himself. He was stunned, which was not an easy feat for him. Not many people have been able to shock him in his 162 years of life, but right now, at this very moment, he was completely and utterly in shock. He watched her as she approached; she had her arms linked around Elena. They were smiling.

"This can't be," he muttered to himself. Then, they reached where he stood and Elena turned to him. She did it hesitantly with her shinning blue eyes and long dark hair. Elena was still cautious of him; it only been a week since she found out about his darkest secret, since she found out what he was. But, he could see she was trying, which, must mean she loved him. Right? But he couldn't think about that right now because standing next to Elena was a girl who looked exactly like her.

"Stefan, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Nilin," she said with a smile.

"You can just call me Nilly," she said. She couldn't be Katherine; Katherine's been dead since 1864. But what other rational answer could it be? That's when it hit him; Elena introduced her as Nilly. So, if Elena knew her she couldn't possibly be Katherine. Katherine was dead, of course.

"Stefan? You okay?" Elena asked.

"So you're the famous Stefan, huh?" Nilly grinned. "I've heard _all_ about you." Stefan just stared at Nilly. She looked exactly like Elena from a distance but now, with her standing right in front of him, he could see the difference.

Nilly had long brown hair like Elena's, except Nilly's hair held a delicate wave to it, with bangs that cut across her face. It was the same dark brown color as Elena's, though. Their facial features were identical; from their sharp cheek bones to their slightly peaked noses. Then, Stefan saw her eyes. From a far they were as clear blue as Elena's, but now he could make out golden colored flecks in them that deepened the color. She reached a delicate hand up and waved it right in front of his face.

"Hello?" she smiled, "Not much of a talker is he?" she said to Elena.

Elena starred at Stefan. "Stefan. Are you okay?" she asked again, looking through her long eyelashes.

Stefan found his voice as the shock began to wear off. "Sorry, just- just lost in a thought." He gave a reassuring smile towards Elena, and then he took Nilly's hand. "Nice to meet you Nilly, I didn't realize Elena had any cousins." He kissed her hand softly and then released it. She blushed slightly and spoke.

"Yeah, Elena doesn't like to brag," she winked. "Nice to meet you too." They even _sound_ exactly like each other, he pondered. _Stunning_.

"Drinks. We need drinks," she said.

"Oh, I'll go grab some. Be right back." Elena offered, touching Stefan's hand then Nilly's shoulder as she left. He turned back towards Nilly, who was smiling at him. He couldn't help but smile back. Now he seemed to easily be able to separate her from Katherine. Nilly seemed to be warmer, sweeter with a youthful innocence. He could almost feel the electricity coming off of her, as if her eyes held a secret fire. She reminded him of someone else now…

"Stefan Salvatore, the one who stole my little cousin's heart, in the flesh." Stefan heard her say, pulling him out of his thoughts. He surprised himself by laughing.

"I guess that's me. But truthfully she stole mine," he said, looking down.

There was a pause but then she said questionably, "You're not a drug dealer, right?" putting a slight finger to her chin.

"Um, no, I don't think so."

"Ex-con?"

"Nope."

"Junkie?"

"No."

"Serial killer?"

He didn't answer immediately; the question had thrown him off guard. "Uh, sorry, no."

"Just checking," she smiled, eyeing him. "It's my job, you see."

"Really?" he laughed a little, relaxing.

"Yeah, see being the older one, I have to protect her. I have to make sure she's making right choice. I'm the interrogator, you know, to make she's not dating any dicks."

"Ah, got it. Well, how am I doing then?" he said leaning back and folding his arms across his chest.

"You care about her, do anything for her?"

"Of course," he said immediately.

She nodded slowly then said, "I think I like you, Mr. Salvatore." He smiled at her, realizing the shock hadn't fully worn off yet.

"You gave everyone a pretty big surprise, tonight," he said pointing to her guitar, which was now leaning against the pool table.

"I thought I'd kick off my time here in Mystic Falls with fireworks. Come in with a bang. It's been a while since I've been home."

"You've lived here before?" he asked surprised. The other occasions in the past when he returned to Mystic Falls he usually kept to himself, but he'd remember seeing her around.

"Born and raised. My house was right down the street from my aunt and uncles, where Elena lives." Nilly explained. "I left when I was thirteen. My dad thought a new change of scenery would do us some good," she rolled her eyes and combed back her thick brown hair with her fingers. "When did you move here? I don't remember you around back then."

"Oh, well I just moved back as well. I used to visit family here over the years."

She nodded, "And what's _your_ reason for coming back?" she asked innocently.

"Several reasons, mostly just to have a new start."

"You too, eh?" she smiled and casting her blue eyes down.

Just then, Elena returned. Juggling drinks in her hands. "Let me help." Stefan said reaching for the cups before Elena could spill them.

"I'm okay, got it," she said setting the cups on the table. She let out a breath and turned to him.

"Thank you though." A soft smile touched her lips making Stefan's heart swell. He was about to say something when she turned abruptly.

"Where'd Nilly go?..." she said. They both looked around them but she was gone.

* * *

Nilly retreated soundlessly from Stefan and Elena. Something had grabbed her attention, more like someone; Matt Donavon. He was sitting at a table across from a guy she barely recognized. Matt was the younger brother of one of Nilly's childhood friend. She walked over to Matt shyly. Thanks to several long phone calls and e-mails from Elena, she all but lived his and Elena's relationship. And their breakup. He saw her before she reached the table and called out.

"Nilly! Hey." He stood up as she made her way to the table.

"Matt! Look at you, it's been ages," she greeted, giving him a small hug.

"Yeah, I know," he chuckled. "How are you? What chased you back here?"

Nilly swallowed hard at his choice of words and let out a nervous giggle. "I've been better. And I've needed to come home for way too long, so I thought why not come for a visit? How have you been? Where's Vickie, she around?" Nilly asked hopeful. Vickie was the closest thing to a best girl friend Nilly had ever had, beside Elena. But Elena was her cousin, so she didn't really count.

She and Vickie were in the same grade and both being kind of outcasted they learned to like each other. They had secret meeting place, countless stories and laughs between the two of them. Last time she'd seen Vickie, she was getting herself in to some trouble and Nilly had been worried for her ever since. The look on Matt's face didn't settle her concerns.

"You haven't heard from her?" he asked quietly.

"No, we haven't spoken since the last time I visited… Why? Matt, what happened?"

"Well, we think she ran off somewhere, skipped town to go hell knows where."

Nilly leaned against the table and shook her head. "Oh, Vickie…" she said quietly. She looked up at Matt, who nodded in empathy.

"She was gambling with a bunch of drugs last time I was here." Nilly said, more of a statement than a question. Matt nodded again.

"She was attacked, back in the fall one night in the woods and she just seemed to spiral down from there. Before she left she was acting really strange. Like she was coming down from a major high. Stefan and I tried to help her. You know, tried to figure out what was going on with her, but then she was just gone," he explained.

"No letter? No phone call? Just left?" she asked.

"Nothing. She'll come home eventually. When she runs out of money or whatever dope she's on," he smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"You said she was attacked? By what..?" Nilly asked, bile starting to wrench in her stomach.

"The doctor said some type of animal." Matt explained.

"Oh wow." Nilly said, trying to calm her stomach. _Just an animal attack, that happens when you're in the woods at night_, she said to herself. But no matter how many times she said it, that voice yelling in the back of her mind wouldn't go away. _Just an animal attack. Just an animal attack_.

"We'll find her Matt. Don't worry." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I've got to get back, see you around, okay?"

"Yeah, it's good to see you again Nilly. Be careful," he said and walked away. Nilly froze, ice went down her back. _Where did that come from?_ she wondered. '_Be careful_'? Be careful of what? She swallowed hard. Then something touched her shoulder. She jumped out of her skin and let out a yelp.

"Whoa, sorry Nilly! I didn't mean to scare you." Nilly turned towards the soft familiar voice. Standing behind her was a petite Bonnie, with her curly dark hair, which was a few shades darker than her skin. She grinned, "Jumpy are we?" Then her arms enveloped around Nilly.

"Bonnie!" Nilly said hugging her.

"I was waiting for you to make your way towards me, _but_ I couldn't wait any longer," she admitted as she released Nilly. "What a surprise, pretty sure no one saw _you_ coming."

"Yeah, I thought this town could use a little living up."

"Well you sure accomplished that with that little number you preformed. You always were an amazing singer, just too shy." They both laughed.

"Remember that time you and Elena bribed me to do that middle school talent show? And I had a panic attack before I went on stage."

"Oh god, I forgot about that! We black mailed you until you signed up. Then you almost passed out on us!" she said, breathless from laughter.

"Why'd I ever forgive you guys for that?" Nilly smirked, narrowing her eyes.

"Because you love us and you would die without us." Bonnie smirked back.

"Right, I'm gonna die _because_ of you two," she said giving Bonnie another hug. Both girls sighed, their ribs aching from laughter as they made their way back to Elena and Stefan.

Arm in arm.

* * *

He had been silently watching her this entire time. He sat at the Grill's bar, bourbon in hand. He was watching her now as she laughed with the little witch.

"Right, I'm gonna die _because_ of you two." He heard her say even though she was on the other side of the room. He grinned to himself. He was watching as they walked away together, arms linked, when someone obscured his view.

"What?" he asked annoyed and took a sip from his glass.

"Bonnie still has your necklace," said Caroline. She had her arms crossed over her chest and wouldn't look him in the eyes. She tried to hide behind her summer blonde hair. Caroline talked too much for his preference but she was good for getting information. Most of the time he wanted to ring her pretty little neck out, but at the moment he still needed her to get what he wanted.

"Damon? Are you even listening to me?" she wined.

"Not really," he said.

"Oh, well then." Caroline said, floundering.

"I want my necklace back, Caroline. _Now_."

"She won't give it up!"

"Just take it then," he demanded getting agitated.

"I-I tried but, the damn thing shocked me, or something." Caroline looked down like a little lost puppy. God, was she getting on his nerve.

"You're useless," he spat at her. He wanted her gone, before he _really_ did strangle her. She looked up at him. "You can't do anything can you? No wonder no one can stand you, you're too shallow." He took another sip of his bourbon.

"_Goodbye_, Caroline." She stammered something but he turned away. Damon swallowed the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the bar. He turned back around just in time to see Caroline scurrying off to the ladies room. He smirked and ordered himself another drink. Now it was time to have some fun.

* * *

** Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attached the following to the end of the url

Nilin:

/chapter_one_nilin/set?id=90395280

Elena:

/chapter_one_elena/set?id=90396152


	3. Chapter Two: The Encounter- Part 1

**Chapter Two: The Encounter -Part 1**

The odds were against them, what was about to happen next determined victory or defeat. Nilly took a deep breath, angled herself the right way, lining everything up perfectly. With one thrust of her arm she sent the cue ball sailing across the pool table. It ricocheted off the eight ball, sending it sailing into the hole.

"Yes!" Nilly shot her pool stick in the air and began doing a little victory dance. "That's how we do it," she said, bumping hips with Bonnie.

"I still think you cheated," accused Elena, crossing her arms over her chest in defeat. Stefan choked back a chuckle and Elena eyed him but they continued to grin.

"Sore loser," Nilly joked taking a sip of her drink and rousting herself on a stool.

"Am not," Elena walked over to a stool as well. The night had gone better that she'd guessed. Nilly was actually enjoying herself. She felt free, as if she didn't have to constantly worry and look over her shoulder. She let out a sigh as conversations began around her. New lyrics began to form in her head. She began to hum to herself with the rhythm of laughter coming from the others.

"_Woohoo_, earth to Nilly." Bonnie's voice rang, sending Nilly out of her mind and back into reality.

"Hmm?" she blinked, confused.

"We lost you there for a second." Elena said, her voice tinged with worry. "Where'd you go?" she asked more softly.

"Nowhere," Nilly laid her hand on Elena's. "I'm right here."

Elena smiled and gently squeezed Nilly's hand. "Good, because you're going to be here for a while."

"Sure, sure." Nilly slid off her stool with a tight smile. Her head was spinning slightly and the room suddenly felt like it had shrunk. "I'm going to grabs something to drink," she said, turning away from her friends. The air felt like it had thickened as she tried to squeeze her way through the crowd.

Nilly found her way to the bar eventually, after being forced to stop and make small talk with several people. Now, all she wanted was something to dull this on coming headache. She sat down on one of the bar stools and leaned her elbows on the counter.

"What can I do for you miss?" asked the bartender, a young guy with dark blonde hair and dimples. She rested her chin on one of her hands and smiled up at him.

"Just a soda, please."

"Right away," he said, not taking his eyes off Nilly. She let out a small laugh under her breath as he turned to fill her order. The whole concept of flirting, dating and a normal relationship seemed so absurd to her that she couldn't help but laugh. But it never hurt to give it a try, right?

Nilly pulled her wavy dark hair into a loose ponytail and blew her bangs out of her face. She sighed again as the bartender returned with her drink. He placed it in front of her and smiled.

"Here you go," he said, continuing to smile.

"Thanks," she smiled back faintly.

"Anything else I can help you with?" he said slightly flipping his bangs out of his eyes. A short burst of laughter escaped Nilly to her surprise. She tried to choke it back but the damage was already done.

"Sorry, sorry. Um, no I'm okay. Thank you," she said grabbing her soda. The bartender had his eyes on the floor now. With his face flushed from his jaw to his hairline, he didn't look up as he left.

Nilly looked down at her drink and mixed the bubbles with the straw. Shaking her head at her drink she gulped down the soda. The air bubbles burned her nose a little, but her head was beginning to clear. She began to zone out again, embarrassment leaving her cheeks.

"Well, that was interesting," said a sleek sarcastic voice suddenly beside her. Nilly let out an involuntary gasped, which sounded more like a choke. She quickly spun herself around to glance beside her. The once empty stool was suddenly occupied by someone; a man.

A very handsome man. He wore a simple black button shirt, that fit him very well, she might add. His dark hair was carelessly tossed and fell slightly in his eyes. Under that hair was the strangest eyes Nilly had ever seen. She couldn't help but stare at them. They were as dark as midnight but had a shine to them. So dark she could barely tell where the color ended and the pupil started. His face held a crooked grin and he was leaning on his one hand like Nilly had been moments ago.

Nilly had a strange feeling wash over her, as if she knew this stranger somehow. But how was that possible?

"Scare you?" his grin widened.

Nilly waited for her heart to slow but it wouldn't. It pounded in her chest, so instead she focused on her breathing. She laid her hand over her chest and smiled at him, now able to answer.

"You shouldn't do that to people. You're going to make someone drop dead one day." She blew her bangs out of her eyes again and straightened up on the stool. Then she looked at him, an embarrassing heat washing over her face again.

"You saw that?" she pointed a slim finger in the blonde bartender's direction.

"Oh, I saw that," his lips quivered as if he was forced to hold in his laughter. He raised his glass to his mouth and finished the liquor in it.

"Damon Salvatore," he lifted his hand towards her. She gave him a smile and reached to shake his hand. "Nilin Gilbert, but just call me Nilly." She took his hand to shake. As their skin touched it sent a shock through Nilly's arm, tingling every nerve ending. Simultaneously, their arms shot back, as though each other's hands were on fire. They stared momentarily at one another before Nilly looked down.

"Sorry, I guess I shocked you," she mumbled, rubbing her arm. The shock had left it hot and tingling. "Um, you said Salvatore, right? As in Stefan?" she asked, quickly changing the subject. He seemed to follow her as if he was about to ask a similar question.

"Correct," he grinned at her and motioned for the bartender to come over, "he's my little brother." Nilly kept her eyes down as the bartender meekly returned to take Damon's order. "Two tequila shots."

The bartender poured the clear liquor into two shot glasses and slid them over to Damon, than he quickly retreated to the other side of the bar. Nilly combed her fingers through her ponytail, an anxiety thing she'd picked up over the years.

She was about to make a lame excuse to leave, when Damon suddenly slid a shot glass towards her. Shocked, she looked up. He put a finger to his lips as if to say 'shh' and winked at her. Nilly smiled, her heart beating at a very unhealthy speed. She grabbed the glass and quickly looked behind her to where Elena and the others were. If she got caught she'd be dead.

As if he was reading her mind, Damon said, "They won't see you, don't worry." She couldn't help but smile back at him, he was gorgeous. She raised her glass towards him.

"To new beginnings," she toasted.

"To new friends," he declared, giving her another wink as he through his head back, downing the shot. Nilly mimicked his movement and set the glass down on the table. She felt the liquid as it slid down her throat, slightly stinging. But when it hit her stomach a warm feeling began to emanate through her body. She let out a satisfied sound and reached behind her head to pull her hair out of its ponytail.

"Thank you," she said to Damon as she shook her hair out. She met his eyes and froze caught in his gaze. His elegant dark eyes were locked on hers. His mouth was slightly parted with a semi-shocked look. The only thing she was able to do was to stare back. Trying to break away from his gaze, Nilly slid her eyes down to the empty shot glass, wishing she had another. When she looked back up he was smiling strangely as her. Her cheeks flushed, _Did she have something on her face?_

"What?" she snapped, an annoyed tone in her voice.

"You remind me of someone. A girl I knew ages ago," he paused as if to say more, but stopped. Nilly couldn't hold his eyes anymore Instead she fumbled with the twisted chain of her bracelet.

"Oh," she said slowly and then paused. "Have we met before?" Nilly questioned, looking at him. He shook his head.

"I don't believe so, I'd remember," he smiled. Nilly frowned slightly in confusion but quickly dismissed it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be snippy. This," she let out a breath, "This town wasn't very welcoming to me at one point. So I'm a little paranoid, I guess you can say." She looked up at Damon, hiding under her bangs. Her face held a tired looking smile.

Nilly expected him to dash off right then. She expected him to make a run for it because she must have had a neon sign above her head flashing "Caution: Tragic Past. Avoid at all risk." She would understand if he did, but he didn't. He simply nodded as if he understood. Then, very _unexpectedly_, his cool fingers gently brushed the hair out of Nilly's face, tucking it behind her ear. His hand paused for a moment before it dropped back onto the counter. His fingers left Nilly's skin hot where they touched, but it sent shivers down Nilly's spine, raising goose bumps on her arms.

"I think we need another round," he said coolly, ordering two more shots. She just nodded, not trusting her voice. She decided to ignore her pounding heart, as well as an alarm going off in the back of her mind somewhere. She didn't care about consequences right at this moment. So when the shots came she flung her head back and allowed the burning liquid to replace any chill left in her body.

"So why come back?" Damon asked. Nilly was confused as her mind began to blur around the corners.

"Excuse me?" she said puzzled.

"If this town wasn't welcoming, why waste your time on it? Why come back?"

Now Nilly understood, but it still took a while to find the right answer.

"Well, it was my home at one point," she said slowly, "I loved it here. If you love something, shouldn't you give it another chance?" He nodded his head again, a few strands of hair falling on to his forehead. That alone seemed to kick her heart up a few notches. _What was with him that made her react like this?_ she thought with an unreadable amount of mixed emotions. _Who was he?_

"Why'd you come back?" she said, raising an eyebrow. He looked at her with confusion this time. "Stefan told me that you guys used to visit here, and recently moved back." Nilly explained, clearing his confusions.

He chuckled, "Well, you see. My little brother needed someone to look after him. Where ever he goes, trouble just seems to follow him." Damon smiled as if there was a joke that she didn't hear.

"Oh," was all Nilly could say. She turned behind her where Stefan and Elena were still. The music was loud but, she could see them leaning over the pool table laughing. Nilly smiled and turned back to Damon.

"Well, he's lucky to have someone to look after him."

Damon laughed again. Maybe 'laughed' wasn't the right word, more like snickered. A strange feeling rose in Nilly. Then Damon turned to her, "Who's looking after you, Nilly?" His smile returned, causing her heart to jump, but for a different reason. His eyes were different though, darker? If that was even possible.

"Just me. I'm like you. I'm the one looking after everyone else," she said slowly, cautiously. She tried her attempt at a smile.

"You're looking after them?" he nodded behind Nilly.

"That's what family is for, right?"

"Yeah, that's family," he said downing another shot. He banged his glass on the counter and smiled at her again, a smile that could melt the coldest heart. But the atmosphere seemed to change, something was different.

"How about you and me get out of here, somewhere more quite?" Capturing her gaze, he locked his eyes on Nilly. She noticed another change, something different about Damon as he stared at her.

Before she could answer someone moved between them.


	4. Chapter Two: The Encounter- Part 2

**Chapter Two: The Encounter -Part 2**

"What are you doing, Damon?" Stefan's stern voice said. He looked behind him to where Nilly sat, seemingly unaware of the influences Damon had been using on her just a moment ago.

"Well look who it is," Damon said, lounging back in his chair. "Come to join the fun, little brother?" He gave Stefan an irritatingly mocking smile. Something stirred behind Stefan and suddenly Nilly was next to Damon and him. She had an awkward smile on her face.

She turned to Damon, "Thanks for the drinks, it was nice meeting you."

He opened his mouth to reply, but before Damon could get a word in Stefan said, "Elena's waiting for you. I think her and Jeremy are getting ready to leave." He didn't take his eyes off Damon.

"I better get to them, then. Nice meeting you as well Stefan. I guess, I'll see you two around." Her smile transformed into a sincerely sweet one. Nilly turned and jimmied herself through the crowd. Stefan watched her until he was sure she had made it back to her cousins. Elena saw him and nodded, he returned the nod and turned back to his brother, Damon. Who was currently flirty with a brunette bartender.

"What were you doing with her?" Stefan said. Damon turned toward him slowly, a bored irritated look on his face.

"With who, brother?" he gave Stefan a cocky smile. Making him want to throw his brother through the wall, not caring who saw. Stefan took a deep breath to calm himself before he spoke.

"With Nilly, Damon," he said with a locked jaw.

"Just being a gentleman, of course."

Stefan gave a snort, "Of course."

Damon always seemed to know which buttons to push, how to get Stefan so close to the edge. He drove Stefan crazy, slowly pushing him over and he'd watched with delight. Stefan wanted to leave, he want to get out of the cramped grill and out of his brothers sight. He wanted to be with Elena. But he couldn't leave, not with Damon dangerously flirting with a new victim.

"Leave her alone, Damon. She doesn't need you screwing her life up. Just leave her be."

When Stefan stopped speaking Damon was sitting there with an amused look on his face.

"Oh come now brother, what do you think I was going to do? _Certainly,_ not one of my evil schemes to turn this god awful town upside down." Damon said his eyebrows lifting, taking a sip of his drink. "I was just having a conversation with her Stefan, calm down." He gave Stefan a crooked smile then turned his attention back on the bartender.

Stefan had had enough. He turned quickly and headed for the exit. Then he heard his brother cool voice behind him_, "You can't have them both, brother."_ Stefan froze, he turned quickly towards Damon, who was still sitting at the bar, drink in hand.

He raised his glass toward Stefan, "_You can't _protect _them both, brother." _His voice rang in Stefan's ears_._

Damon smiled and drank the remnants of his drink. Stefan's heart raced at the thought of Damon even thinking of hurting Elena. And now he was setting his sights on Nilly. He wanted to go back there and rip his brother's head off. But he didn't. He wouldn't, not yet. Instead he clenched his fist and made his way out the door. The cool nigh air felt good on his face, but his jaw began to ache. He needed to get back to the boardinghouse.

* * *

They were all packed into Nilly's Jeep. Nilly in the driver's seat, Elena in the passenger's with Nilly's guitar between her legs, and poor Jeremy crammed in the back with Nilly's suitcase. The atmosphere had a strange tension to it that Nilly didn't understand why.

She had her favorite radio station on, and she and Jeremy were humming along to it. But from the moment Nilly met back up with them in the grill, something had been wrong. Elena was in a major rush to get out of there. When Nilly asked what was wrong, Elena had thrown Nilly's jacket and guitar at her and all but forced her out the door.

Now they were heading back to her cousins' house and Elena hadn't said a word.

"Did you and Stefan get into a fight?" Nilly asked, lowering the volume and receiving a grunt of disapproval from the backseat.

"What? No, no we-"

"I didn't mean to offend him. I was just kidding." Nilly blurted out.

"Nilly, we didn't fight. And what did you say that would have offended him?" Elena asked turning towards her with an eyebrow raised.

"Nothing, nothing." Nilly shook her head, "Then what's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong." Elena said, but Nilly knew she was lying. She knew because she and Elena always seemed to be on the same frequency. Ever since they were little, they were always in tune with each other. It was creepy sometimes and it was probably the reason why Nilly knew something wasn't right in the first place.

Elena seemed to be fascinated by something on the dashboard and wouldn't look up at her. "Elena, tell me now."

She looked over at her cousin. "Elena," she said more sternly, remaindering her of her aunt, Elena's mother.

"Nilin…" she said hesitantly. "Just listen to me first before you start going off, okay?" When Nilly didn't answer Elena used the same tone on her, "_Okay?_"

"Sure, sure." Suddenly she was nervous, her heart began to speed up just a little. She gripped the steering wheel slightly harder and glanced in her rearview mirror to find that Jeremy had slid his headphones off his neck and on to his ears.

"You need to stay away from Damon," Elena informed abruptly. That surprised Nilly. She took her attention off Jeremy and looked at Elena. She didn't even know Elena knew she had been talking with Damon. He was just a guy, anyway.

"What do you mean?" she asked sliding her eyes to the road, side-looking Elena.

"You need to stay away from him," she repeated, her voice dropped to a whisper as she continued. "He's dangerous, Nilin, more dangerous than you realize. Something bad always happens to the people around him, very bad. Don't trust him, you'd be stupid to trust him." How could Elena be saying this? Nilly's shocked returned.

"I don't-" she tried to mutter out her confusion.

"You're not going to understand, but you need to trust me. You need to listen to me, please."

Nilly laughed a little, a nervous laugh.

"Elena-" she began.

"Nilly, for once in your life just _listen_ to me this one time. I'm begging you." Elena pleaded. When Nilly turned towards her cousin, the look that was cast on her face made Nilly's heart stop. Elena was truly distraught, her hands were ridged into fist and her foot was shaking nervously. The worry lines on her forehead stood out against her olive skin.

"Okay," Nilly said breathlessly. "I'll listen. I'll just ignore him, no more talking."

"Thank you." Elena said, as if she was letting out a breath she'd been holding.

Nilly turned the music up higher and the rest of the ride to the house was silent. Nilly had no idea what happened that night the resulted in a conversation like this.

Had it just been Nilly, merely talking to the mysterious Damon Salvatore, that caused it? A realization came to her that Damon and she had done more than just talked, something happened between them. And something else was _going_ to happen between them, if Stefan hadn't interrupted. Would Nilly had really left with him? The fact that she didn't have a definite answer left her scared.

The harder she tried to piece the night together, the more tired she became.

* * *

Elena began to calm down the closer she got to home. She just needed to get Nilly home and end the night. She could handle tomorrow when it came, but she could only take one day at a time. Having Nilly back in Mystic Falls should be a good thing. Elena should be happy right now. Then why was stomach twisted and all she felt was dread?

Elena was aware of the dangers that lucked in this town, but her cousin wasn't. Nilly didn't need any more pain in her life. The only thing this town could give Nilly was more pain. But Elena knew why she had come back. Nilly came back because of Elena, because of her family. Nilly had a hard life; she was never dealt a good hand. The only times Elena remembers seeing Nilly truly smile, really smile, was when it was just the two of them.

They were so close, people would joke that they were twins because of how in sync they were and how eerily they resembled one another. And Nilly's father would always say,_ "It's the strong Gilbert genes_." The thought of her uncle made Elena smile as she turned her head slightly to glance at Nilly, who was driving. Nilly was silent, eyes straight forward and biting her lip raw.

"You're going to scab your lips up, Nil," she said, calling her by a nickname that Elena, alone, dared to use.

"Sorry," was all Nilly said, focusing back on the road. They were almost to her house.

Elena sighed softly, her hair falling over her shoulders. She brushed it behind her ear and glanced at Nilly again. Nilly was Elena's better half, she was the wild, worry free side that Elena needed. She knew exactly what to say, when to say it. Nilly knew how to fight too. She'd fight anyone, anything. And Elena admired Nilly for that, no matter what happen in life they always had each other's backs.

When Elena had gotten into the accident that killed her parents, Nilly's face was the first she saw when she woke up in the hospital. Nilly had taken the burden of telling Elena that her parents didn't make it. Nilly was the one who sat with her for an endless amount of hours as Elena cried; just holding her, crying with her, singing to her. Elena couldn't imagine if Nilly wasn't there those few weeks after. She pulled Elena and Jeremy out of the aftermath, mostly, intact. But, people forget that Nilly lost family too in that accident.

Just then they pulled up to her house and Nilly seemed to snap out of her trance. She turned to Elena, a huge smile on her face, as she shifted the gear into park.

"Jenna's home, right?" she asked.

Elena nodded, a smile slowly growing on her face, "Jenna is home."

Jenna was her and Jeremy's Aunt. She was the younger sister of their mother and when Elena's parents passed away, she was accounted guardian. Only 25, she moved back to MysticFalls, into Elena and Jeremy's house and tried her best to cope, like they all had to. Even though it was rocky in the beginning Elena loved her aunt and was very grateful to have her there with them.

They all got out of the car quickly. Elena grabbed Jeremy's sleeve. "Come on," she said to him. "You stay here," she instructed Nilly as she and Jeremy hoped up the porch steps. Elena unlocked the door.

"Aunt Jenna, were home," she called. Then, out of the kitchen popped a head.

"Hey guys, didn't think you would be home till later." Jenna said.

She reminded Elena so much like her mother. They both had that same shade of auburn red hair and green eyes. Her Aunt Jenna was younger, more petti, but she didn't have a personality that went with it. Jenna always said what was on her mind and her heart was worn on her sleeve. She thought with her heart and that's why Elena loved her.

Jenna stepped around the corner and crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled sweetly.

"Have fun?" she asked. Elena shrugged and nudged Jeremy to move out of the way.

"Yeah it was fine." Elena said.

"Oh, well yo-" Jenna began to say but then her eyes widen ad they focused on something behind Elena.

"Knock, Knock. Did I come at a bad time?" asked Nilly, stepping into the door way.

Jenna smiled, momentarily stunned and shook her head, "Nilin Gilbert, what are you doing here?"

"Came for a visit, Aunt Jenna." Nilly leaned on the doorframe. "But, I mean, if you're busy I could-"

"That's not what I meant, come here!" Jenna said. Elena and Jeremy parted out of the way as Nilly went by. She wrapped her arms around Jenna.

They had always had this special relationship, Nilly and Jenna, which Elena could never figure out.

Technically, Nilly had no blood relation to Jenna. But that didn't mean anything to Nilly, family was family. Elena's mother, Miranda, and her Aunt Jenna were sisters, the closest, even though Jenna was a few years younger.

When Elena's mother was six and her aunt only two, a new family moved across the street from them. They had a daughter in the same grade as Miranda. Her name was Rock-lynn, Nilly's mother. Jenna, Miranda and Rock-lynn grew up together in MysticFalls, they were inseparable from the beginning. When you saw one, the other two were right behind. Elena and Nilly's mothers' were best friends since the moment they met.

They both referred to themselves as sisters and they both, ironically, fell in love with Gilbert men. Nilly's mother and father, Jack Gilbert, were high school sweethearts and married young. At their wedding Rock-lynn introduced Miranda to Jack's older brother, Grayson Gilbert and it was love at first sight, or so Elena's mother would say. Elena's parents soon married after that and Jenna was the maid of honor at both weddings. The three of them were so close.

_Kind of like Nilly, Jeremy and herself_, Elena thought. And poor Jenna had lost both Rock-lynn and Miranda. Maybe that's why she and Nilly had a bond. Nilly acted so much like her mother.

"Does your father know you're here?" Jenna asked when they stopped hugging.

"Uh-huh. I told I was coming down here after school ended." Nilly said. They began to make their way into the kitchen, Elena followed.

Jeremy called, "Nilly, want me to grab your stuff?"

"I-," she began to say, looking at Jenna wearily as if unsure. But Jenna cut her off saying, "Of course, bring her things in the house."

Nilly smiled and tossed her keys to Jeremy, muttering a "Thank you".

"Nil, you know you're welcomed here, anytime. Whenever you need, no matter what." Elena said sitting next to Nilly at the kitchen table.

"I know, I just didn't want to intrude." Nilly had a sad smile on her face. She kept her eyes down as she leaned on the back of the chair.

"Nilly… This is your home too. It's always been your home; it will always _be_ your home. Remember that," Elena said, nudging Nilly's side.

Nilly started to smile, nudging her back with her elbow. She looked up at Elena, about to say something when suddenly interrupted by Jeremy stumbling into the room. He had her suitcase and keys in his hands and her guitar around his neck. "A little help?" he asked.

Nilly and Elena looked at each other, rolling their eyes; they got up to help Jeremy.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Now that the first two chapters are up, tell me what you think! I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. This story is my baby, its going on a year in the making. So please Favorite, Follow & Review.  
I'll try and post a new section every Friday, that might change though.  
Thank you for reading!  
~RLS

**Featured Song(s):  
**All I Have Left is You by The Offspring_ (in chapter one)_


	5. Chapter Three: The First Night

**Chapter Three: The First Night**  
After Jeremy and Elena had helped to lug her belongings up the stairs, wishing them a good night, Nilly had retreated to the guestroom and selfishly emerged herself in a hot bath. Her muscles were tense but soon relaxed as the heat filled her body. Her head was still spinning, whether it was from the alcohol or the one who had supplied it… She was too tired to think about that. She didn't _want_ to think about that, so she simply didn't.

Instead, she now welcomed the tipsiness, the drowsy feeling, the heavy eyelids. Nilly rested her head on the bathtub and shut her eyes. She inhaled deeply, filling her senses with the room; the familiar scent of times in the past. Incidents that were tied to the smells slowly came to Nilly. The feeling of just being back in this house alone caused old images and noises to swell in her head. Suddenly, memories came rushing back to her, pictures and words forming in her head.

Her Aunt Miranda, Elena's mother, bathing a young Nilin and Elena when she would babysit Nilly, always adding large amounts of bath bubbles and singing as she washed their hair. Nilly and Jeremy racing around the house on late summer nights, trying to prove who the better, faster one was. Baking cookies in the kitchen on Christmas Eve while her dad and uncle sat in the living room just below her, ranting about one thing or another.

The slightest prickle of tears came to her tired eyes, but Nilly ignored it.

Scraping her knees on the sidewalk right outside, when Elena dared her to ride a bike with no handle bars. Lying in Elena's bed with her until the early morning hours, just talking, hiding secret notes and belongings under the lose floorboard in Elena's room. The squeaky one, three boards away from her window seat. Then, she began to remember the darker memories…

After her mother's funeral, her aunt stroking her hair on the front stairs. The house becoming Nilly's safe haven when her father had gone into a state of alcohol induced shock. Leaving Nilly alone most of the time. Her aunt and uncle were always there, ready, welcoming her with open arms, taking her into their home. And at one point, when Nilly's father had shut down completely, barely functioning, she stayed in that same bedroom for almost a year.

Now the tears had spilled over, running down her cheeks, tickling her nose and landing into the steamy bath water. She didn't care, she allowed herself this movement of self-pity in privacy.

This town had such an effect on Nilly. Raking the good and bad feelings out of her and leaving her there to bear them alone.

But she wasn't alone though, not anymore. She had Jeremy across the hall, Aunt Jenna just a few doors down and Elena in the room right next to her. They'd never leave her, she knew. And with that thought, with the feeling of comfort and belonging swirling around her, she was able to wipe the remnants of tears away. She was able to pull the bath's drain, releasing a swirling tornado of water down the pipe and hoist herself up, out of the bath. She was able to keep on going.

The cold air hit her skin, sending goose bumps up her arms and legs. Nilly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body, holding it tight, shivering. As she stepped into the guestroom, she saw black spots in her vision.

_Must have stood up too fast_, she thought, rubbing her forehead.

She just needed to sleep. Find a warm bed and sleep, but first she needed clothes. Her bag, full of what little belongings she brought, sat untouched on the bed. She riffled through it, trying to find anything that resembled pajamas. In the end, she was wearing an oversized t-shirt and black leggings. _Comfy enough_, she thought to herself.

Nilly looked around the room, the cream colored walls and oak hardwood floors gave off a warm feeling. The bed sat in the middle of the room, next to a large window that faced the backyard. It was filled with white and yellow pillows. The fluffy white comforter had lace edges that hung to the floor and when you lay on the bed it smelled like roses and summer air. The windows were lined with white lace curtains. A beautiful wood dresser was on the wall across the bed. The top of the dresser held pictures of her family. All smiling and laughing, looking at them caused a soft smile to touch Nilly's lips.

Maybe in the morning she could put her clothes in there, to make her stay here less temporary. A small sofa was pushed in the one corner with a book shelf and lamp next to it.

Nilly walk over to the flower patterned sofa and stroked the knitted navy-blue blanket that was draped over the chair's arm. Her mother had knitted it. One of her 'old lady habits', as her dad would call it, that she picked up when she got sick again

Her hands traced the delicate stitch work. She stood there for some time, her finger tips touching the blanket as if it was as fragile as glass. Then she grabbed it, draping it over her shoulders. She did her best to comb her hair but she had no energy left. She could barely keep her eyes open as she snuggled herself between the sheets of the bed, her mother's blanket still wrapped around her shoulders.

She laid there, eyes burning, head swirling, waiting for sleep to come. But it wouldn't. Every time she closed her eyes her mind started racing. Why couldn't she sleep? Nilly sat up, looking around the room again. It was _too_ light, now that she looked at it, _too_ cheery.

Getting up slowly, still clinging the navy blanket to her, she made her way to the bedroom door. She opened it slowly and peered out into the hallway. Jeremy's door was shut, no noise or light emanated from the space under it. The same with Jenna's. Elena's door was open though, just a crack but light shown through it.

The faint light cast shadows in the hallway. Nilly made her way toward Elena's door. She pushed it open slowly, keeping quiet, and peeked in. Elena was asleep in her bed, a king sized bed she'd had for years. With that same light yellow bed spread that reminded Nilly of melting butter. She was breathing lightly with a green diary on her chest and a pen still in her hand. Nilly walked to the bedside slowly. Elena had fallen asleep writing again, leaving the side table lamp on. Nilly picked up the diary and pen soundlessly, trying not to wake Elena.

She didn't understand Elena's obsession with jotting down everything in a book. What was the point? It was just lost words that only the owner of the diary would know about. But, Elena had been doing that for years so Nilly never said anything about it.

She placed the green book on Elena's desk and went back to the other side of the bed across form her. She laid down on the edge of it, covering her legs with the knitted blanket. She tried to move as light as possible, but Elena sighed and turned over.

Her eyes blinked open and she stared at Nilly. Her eyes so crystal blue, so pure. Nilly was always jealous of them. Nilly's eyes were darker and tainted by gold specks that sometimes gave her eyes a strange tinge. But now those eyes started at Nilly with a look of understanding and something like protection. Elena sighed again and rested her head on her hand.

"Sorry." Nilly whispered.

"Can't sleep?" Elena asked, smiling softly, not completely awake. Nilly simply nodded slightly, feeling as if they were eleven years old again. Elena didn't ask any more questions, she simply patted the space on the bed next to her and reached over to turn her lamp off. Nilly scooted over and slipped under the covers. She rested her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. Sleep finally found her curled up to next to Elena. She heard her say softly, "Goodnight, Nil." before she drifted off

* * *

_Faster_, she had to run faster. The ground felt wet under her bare feet as she dodged between trees. She couldn't hear anything over her own ragged breathing and racing heartbeat. It pounded in her ears, making it impossible to track her pursuer. But that didn't mean he wasn't right behind her. She didn't need to look to know she was being chased. She had to keep going.

The woods were dense, tall oak trees sprouted out of the soft earth. During the day they would be beautiful, the sunlight hitting their leaves, but in the moonlight, they only seemed to be reaching towards her, snagging her hair, trying to stop her.

Nilly couldn't run anymore, if her heart wasn't about to give out, her legs were. Just then she broke through the tree lining, stumbling in to a large clearing. She continued to run until her legs twisted with themselves and suddenly she was hitting the damp ground. Lying on her back in the middle of the clearing and panting, her mind struggled to work properly. She needed to get up, there was a reason _why_ she had to get up. But she couldn't remember it. Her chest hurt and gray spots danced in her vision.

_Get up! Get up!_ the voice in her head screamed. She forced her numb legs to work, focusing all her muscles to stand up. Her legs were shaking as she slowly looked around the clearing.

It was dark, even with the light supplied by a full ominous moon. She could only see the outlining of the trees on the edge of the clearing. Something was in those trees now, watching her. Nilly was sure of it. A sudden gust of wind wrapped her unruly hair around her face, blinding her for a moment. She combed her hair out of her eyes fiercely, tucking it behind her ears. The wind stopped as quickly as it started, leaving the forest dead silent. All Nilly could hear was her shaky breathing.

A twig snapped behind her. Nilly spun around, squinting into the woods, trying to make out anything coming towards her. But there was nothing, just darkness. She turned back around, trying to steady herself. That's when she saw him. She stopped dead as she choked off a scream. Ice slid down her back, paralyzing her. He stood on the very edge of the clearing, staring at her. Her weak eyes could only make out his black outline.

Her heart was in her throat, making it impossible to speak. He stepped towards her in a long graceful movement, and then he stopped again. The wind blew once more, chilling her bones, causing Nilly to shiver uncontrollably. She wrapped her arms around her and tried to swallow.

"Who-, who are you?" she asked, her voice wavering. The dark silhouette laughed a disturbing sound. The voice in Nilly's brain was screaming, sending alarms through her memory. She recognized the laugh. She _knew_ that laugh. He took another step forward, then another, and another until he was only a few yards away from Nilly.

"Why so surprised, Nilly? You didn't see _this_ coming?" his cool voice asked.

She didn't answer, she couldn't. She didn't trust that if she opened her lips a scream wouldn't escape. When Nilly didn't answer he took another step, rocking on his heels. She knew he enjoyed this, he could sense her terror, her prey instincts telling her to flee. There was no use in running, not anymore. He'd have her before she even turned around.

_This is the end_, she thought to herself. Who was she kidding, he had worn her out until she had no more fight left in her and now she was trapped in a clearing with him, the distance between them dwindling.

"I could have had you whenever I wanted, however I wanted. You shouldn't have trusted me, Nilly." He was close enough she could see him smiling. "You were _too_ easy. Too— shall I say—stupid?" Then he began laughing that horrible laugh. A new confidence welled up in Nilly, sparked by her knowledge that this was the last person she'd ever talk to.

"I'll still always be the one that got away."

"Until now," his grin widen, reminding her of the Joker. His body tensed up, like a black panther ready to pounce. Nilly shut her eye, squeezing them close. She didn't want to see this. A rush of air blew her hair back, and then she could feel his breath on her cheek. She bit down on her lip hard, forcing herself not to scream. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

Nilly felt his hand sweeping across her face as he slid it to the base of her neck. She still held her eyes shut, her arms locked at her sides and her knees slightly shaking. Then she felt his cool hand on the small of her back. She let out a breath.

When he saw he wasn't getting the response that he wanted out of her, his whole demeanor changed. His hand tangled in Nilly's hair, pulling her head painfully back at a sharp angle, exposing her neck. He slammed her body into his, trapping her in a deadlock and knocking her breath out of her.

His lips grazed her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"You shouldn't have come back here," he said in her ear, and then he struck.

Nilly's eyes shot open, her body rocketing forward, as she gasped for air. She couldn't catch her breath. She couldn't see. Then a pair of hands was reaching for her, she struggled to get away but she was tangled in something.

"No!" she screamed.

"Nilin, Nilly! Calm down, it was a dream. You had a nightmare Nilly!" Someone was yelling, trying to get a hold of her. The lights snapped on. "Shh, shh. Nilly, you're okay."

"Elena?" she said between gasps. "Oh god."

She couldn't breathe, her throat was tight and her chest was heavy. Elena took a hold of Nilly's shoulders.

"You're okay, Nilly it was just a nightmare. You're home, nothing can hurt you here. Look at me Nilly, you have to breathe. You're having another panic attack." Nilly was gasping, her head felt dizzy. She tried to focus on Elena's voice as she attempted to control her breathing.

"Take a deep breath, Nilly. Good, now another. You're okay, it was just a dream."

Her heart slowed down and her gasp quieted. Then she lean forward, resting her forehead on Elena's shoulder. Elena was murmuring something to her, in an attempt to further calm her.

She held Nilly, stroking her hair. That's when Nilly felt the cool wetness on her cheeks and she realized she had been crying. She let out one last final sob, that shook her body. She let Elena untangle her from the blankets and tuck her back in to bed. Then Elena sat next to her, crossed legged on the bed, smoothing out her hair and humming until Nilly's eyes were forced shut by exhaustion. She quickly slipped back into sleep, and hoped she didn't dream again.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

This story has a lot of parts, which is good because it allows me to post more often. For now I will be adding a new section ever Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sound good?  
Thanks for reading.  
Favorite, Follow & Review.

**Check Out the Outfits:**  
Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url

Nilin:  
/chapter_three_nilin/set?id=90399219


	6. Chapter Four: The Graveyard

**Chapter Four: The Graveyard**

Nilly had woken up slowly, her head was pounding and her eyes burned. She turned over under the soft blankets as the morning sunlight faintly trickled through the windows. Then she remembered. It all hit her, and hit her hard. From the events that unfolded at the Mystic Grill, to her ending up in Elena's bed with a terrible headache. Then she remembered her dream and waking up, Elena having to talk her out of one of her attacks. Then she must have fallen asleep again.

She took a deep breath and lifted her head sluggishly to look around the room. It was defiantly Elena's room. It resembled the guestroom somewhat. It had that bright happy glow to it, but this room had Elena's touches to it. From the pictures scattered around her room; some held in frames, others by tacks. To her memorable items; her cheer medals, her drawing made by Nilly, her little tokens of life.

Then Nilly looked next to her, finding a sleeping Elena lying on her stomach. She was hidden by the covers but Nilly could see her head sticking out of them and the lump of sheets moved up and down as she breathed. Nilly had to get up, her chest was sore and the constant dull pain in her head wouldn't go away. So she got up slowly, being extra careful not to disturb Elena and scurried out of the room, down the hall to the guestroom and slipped through the door. She looked around the room as she closed the door, which now looked like a hurricane had hit it. The bed was a mess, sheets crumbled and unkempt. Her duffle bag was kicked across the room, causing various items to be scattered about. Damp towels laid next to the dresser and the bathroom light was still on.

Nilly let out an inner groan_._

_God, I've must have been a mess last night_, she thought to herself as she began to pick up her belongings.

Once the bed was made and the floor spotless Nilly sat on the small sofa in the corner. She tried to comb her fingers through her hair but they kept getting caught by snarled knots. Her head still hurt yet the pain seemed to be fading. With a heavy sigh she got off the sofa and went over to the long elegant wooden mirror on the other side of the room. Her hair was a mess, it looked as if birds were nesting in it.

She was surprised _not_ to have found any birds in there as she began the task of brushing it out. In the end she had gotten her brush stuck twice and somehow manage to not only pull a chunk of tangled hair out, but also hit herself in the face. And it wasn't even seven o'clock yet, but her hair was presentable.

After taking a few Tylenol for her head, Nilly got dress quickly. She pulled on a pair of dark jean shorts, a black lace tank top and a gray zip-up hoodie she found at the bottom of her suitcase. She grabbed her converses and a shoulder bag and snuck down the stairs.

The house was silent, everyone was still asleep. Maybe she should leave a note for them. Just so Elena wouldn't get panicky, and call the sheriff or send out an amber-alert or anything. Nilly slipped her sneakers on, threw her bag on her shoulder and scribbled on a post-it note. She stuck it to the fridge on her way out of the kitchen.

When she got outside the cool early summer air cleared the rest of her headache. The sun was slowly waking itself up, as the birds began their morning calls. As she walked down the driveway she eyed her Jeep, but continued walking. A good, quiet walk would do her some good.

It didn't take long to reach her first destination, only a couple houses down the road. Nilly now stood in front an abandon house. Who abandon it? Well, she did. And her father, years ago when Nilly was almost thirteen. The house used to be so beautiful when she lived there. Now, it was ruined beyond repair. She stared up at the house, and imagines of how it looked when she was younger came to her.

The white walls, with its blue window frames. Her mother's beautiful flower beds filled with the brightest Irises, Roses and American Dogwoods. The cobalt stone driveway, the front porch with swinging chairs her great grandfather had made, and the huge oak tree in the back yard with a tree house her and her dad had built years ago.

But now that was all gone, destroyed by time and neglect. The white paint was chipped and had a strange green tint to it. Her mother's flower bed had long since died and withered away. The cobalt stone was hidden by dense grass and weeds. Her great grandfather's chairs were gone, the porch was worn and rickety looking with missing boards. And the oak tree was dying. Her tree house was smashed on the ground, its weight too much for the ancient tree.

This house symbolized Nilly's life in many ways. How a series of misfortunes had left a once simple and pure thing spiraling headfirst to destruction. She stared at the house for a long time, just standing on the side walk.

It was time to say goodbye, it was all in the past. It was time to start over and release all those old feelings. All the anger, the betrayal, the sadness, everything she's held onto for all these years. The house was a part of Nilly's past, and now she was leaving it behind her. She took one final breath, turned and walked away. The house behind her no longer held any feelings.

* * *

Elena stretched her arms and legs, pointing her toes under the blankets. Something had woken her up but she couldn't recall what. She looked at the clock on her nightstand, the red digital numbers read 7:36. She let out a sigh and turned over. What she expected to see was Nilly, still passed out and lightly snoring. But what she saw was an empty space next to her. The covers on that side were neatly folded and the navy blue blanket from the guestroom was spread over Elena.

_Nilly must have already gotten up_, Elena thought. She was always the first one up, even when they were little.

Elena sat up in bed and brushed her long brown hair back. She was exhausted. After she was able to get Nilly back to sleep, Elena woke up to every little noise. Expecting Nilly to be yelling again, but she stayed sleeping. _Lucky her._

Elena couldn't remember the last time Nilly had had a panic attack, it must have been the day after Elena's parents' funeral. That was a small one compared to the one she had last night. Nilly was used to her attacks, so was Elena, but it took a lot out Nilly.

Panic attack, that's what the doctors and so called specialist called them but, Elena had always thought that 'panic attack' was down playing what it really was. These 'attacks' could get really bad, really fast. Nilly started getting them after her mom passed away, and they were horrible. Nilly's heart would race, she'd start to shake, then hyperventilate, and then her throat would close. Her own mind would start suffocating itself.

The first time Elena saw Nilly have one was burned into her memory. It happened when they were eleven, it was only a few weeks after her Aunt Rocklynn's funeral, and they had been walking home from school. Someone must have said something to Nilly that Elena didn't hear, because one moment they were silently walking, then a group of girls passed by, then Nilly was doubled over clutching her chest. Elena was terrified, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to help her cousin.

Elena had left Nilly and ran down the street to get her mother, who'd raced down the street to where Nilly was. By the time she got there Nilly was close to passing out, still not able to catch her breath and tears streaming down her eyes. Elena's mom was able to calm Nilly down enough to get her back home. That night, Elena's parents told her what had happened to Nilly, and the chance that it might happen again. Which it did, many times after. Some better, some worse.

The eleven year old Elena was frightened by the idea of Nilly going through another panic attack, but she learned to deal with it, she had to for Nilly. Over time, _she_ was the one others went to when Nilly had another one, because Elena knew what to do. She knew how to handle Nilly's attacks the best. But, now over the years, Nilly has learned how to control them herself, to focus on her breathing or heart rate before it got like it did last night.

Elena flung her feet over the bed, placing them on the cold floor and stretching her arms above her head. Then she made her way to the door, Nilly must have went back to her room, or something. Elena went down the hallway, she heard rustling and clattering coming from Jenna's room. An indication that her Aunt was trying to get ready. She continued down the hallway, still no movement from behind Jeremy's door... or Nilly's...

Elena tapped on the door gently, "Nilly. Morning." No answer. "Nilly?"

Elena opened the door, to find an empty room. The bed was made and her stuff still in the bag. _She's not there, but her belongings are, _Elena thought.

She rushed down the stairs into the living room, empty. Dining room, empty. Kitchen, empty.

_Maybe she went to Bonnie's._

As Elena went to grab the phone, something caught her eye. A yellow post- it note stuck to the fridge. Elena stopped, and grabbed the note. Her eyes scanning it;

"Hey,  
Going out. Be back soon.  
Love you,  
Nilly"

_Out? Where? _Elena wondered, then she reached for the phone again.

* * *

Her next destination would take a little while to reach. The walk was long, but Nilly didn't care. It took her through town, which had just begun to awaken. She could hear store owners sweeping the sidewalk outside their doors, the low hum of cars starting up and the birds beginning to crow. All signs that the sleepy little town of Mystic Falls was preparing for another day. Nilly cut through town quickly and took a side road. She walked up the gravel path that led to the old iron gates of the cemetery in town. She scooted through the rusting metal gates and continued walking. Looking around, she saw the crumpling beams of the ancient Lockwood mausoleum.

Nilly found herself in the oldest part of the cemetery, filled with the original founders of Mystic Falls. Here, there were tombstones that dated back to the pre-civil war era, many worn and eroded showing how old they really were.

The cemetery was in the middle of the Old Wood, a long stretch of dense forest around the town. The large trees provided shade from the rising summer sun. The grass was newly cut and its scent still hung in the air. A feeling of stillness and precaution filled the woods, but Nilly continued up the gravel path, meandering through the tombstones.

As she walked up a small hill, which led to the newer part of cemetery, she swooped down quickly, scooped a handful of small rocks up and shoved them in her pocket as crested the hill. The newer part of the graveyard had a different feeling to it. It was more open, no trees sprouting up like in the older parts. There was less decay here, fresh flowers laid at graves, their writing still clear and untouched by age.

She walked silently, afraid if she made to much nose the peacefulness would be broken. She knelt in front of a grave, dropping her shoulder bag to the ground and folding her legs under her.

"Hi, mom," Nilly said quietly. She brushed her fingers over the headstone, tracing the words imprinted there, _'Beloved mother, dear friend, beautiful wife. Rocklynn Tae Gilbert.'_

Nilly dropped her hand to her lap.

"Sorry it's been so long, I coul- I couldn't come back for a while. But I did, I'm here now," she told the ground. Though no one was around, and her mother had passed years ago Nilly knew her mother was listening. Somehow, wherever she was, she could hear Nilly. Even if it was kind of delusional, Nilly had been talking to her mother like this for years. It was the only thing that she could do to keep some sort of connection to mom.

"Things have been bad, mom, but I'm going to fix them. I'm going to make them better." Nilly sighed and rocked back on her heels, unfolding her legs and stretching them in front of her. She leaned back on her hands, weaving her fingers through the green grass.

"Dad misses you, of course. He's still a mess but I've been rationing him. He's doing better, though. Mildred is keeping an eye on him. It was her idea for me to come back. Maybe she was right…" Nilly's voice trailed off.

Something had stopped her train of thought. What was it? She didn't hear or see anything. More like she _felt_ something, but what? Her eyes did a 360 around the graveyard. She was alone. Everything was silent, no summer breeze to rustle the leaves. Nothing, nothing was wrong. She shrugged the feeling off and sat up.

She reached for her bag, rifling through it until her fingers touch the cover of a book. Nilly pulled it out of her bag and laid the cracked leather cover on her lap. An ancient book, with crinkled pages and a broken spine. In the yellowing pages, though, held some of Nilly's favorite stories. The worn spine opened to the right page, permanently dog-eared.

"'Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,  
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,  
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,  
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.  
'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -  
Only this, and nothing more.'"

Suddenly, movement caught her eyes. She froze and slowly lifted her head from the book. Nilly's eyes widened. In front of her was a huge black crow perched on the top of her mother's headstone. Its shiny black eyes fixed on her.

"Well, hello there." she said, closing the book cautiously. The crow cocked its head slightly, but its piercing eyes were still locked on her.

"I guess you must like Edgar Allen Poe, too." Nilly laughed a little.  
What was she doing? She couldn't figure out which was more disturbing; reading to a headstone or having a conversation with a crow. She couldn't help but laugh, _this_ is what Poe's stories were about.

The crow still starred at her, twitching its wings slightly. "I'm sorry Mr. Crow, but this poem is about a raven. Not to get your hopes up or anything."

The crow twitched again. "Well maybe you prefer Shakespeare? You know;

'Compare her face with some that I shall show

And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.'"

Nilly used to read anything she could get her hands on when she was younger. Poe and Shakespeare were two of her mother's favorite authors, and she knew lines by heart. Her mother used to recite them to Nilly all the time, till they were engraved in her head.

The crow cocked its head again and let out a loud squawk, making Nilly jump and the book to slide off her lap. Suddenly the great bird took off, opening its wings and pushing off the headstone where it was perched. Nilly yelped and dove to the ground, covering her head with her hands, the crow's claws barely missing her hair.

Then, it was gone, back to the Old Wood. Nilly stood up and skimmed the tree line with her eyes. Nothing moved, no sound emanated from the trees. She brushed herself off, picked up her book and, holding the book to her chest, took a few deep breaths.

"Well, then. Guess it didn't care for Shakespeare." She bent down to slide the old book back in her bag, when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, her human sixth sense telling her something. She quickly stood up straight, straining to hear something and slid the bag on her shoulder.

"Time to go," she said to herself, trying to distract her brain from the signals going off in it.

Nilly reach into her pockets and dug around. She pulled out several small pebbles. Then she added one to the pile on the top of her mother's headstone.

"Love you," she said quietly. Then walking a few feet behind her mother's grave, she stopped in front of two other graves.

"Love you guys, too." Nilly said placing a pebble on her Aunt Miranda and Uncle Grayson's headstones as well.

Then she began her walk back to town, trying to leave the cemetery as fast as possible. Nilly was at the bottom of the hill when a gust of wind blew, causing her hair to fly around widely. In the distance a crow was hawking loudly. The wind didn't quit, it hit her with another gust. The crow seemed to be getting closer. How Nilly could hear it over the wind hallowing in her ears, she didn't know. She tried to get up the hill but her hair blinded her and the wind chilled her. Another gust, another squawk, hitting her repeatedly. Then, simultaneously the wind and the crow stopped, leaving the cemetery silent and Nilly frozen.

Flashes of the nightmare she had last night shuttered in her brain. _But that was only a dream, I'm not sleeping right now._

The thought was meant to calm her, but caused her breath to get caught in her throat instead. _No reason to be scared, no reason for my heart to be pounding like this_, she thought to herself.  
Very calmly, she pulled her hair into a ponytail, adjusted the bag on her shoulder and ran as fast as she could out of the cemetery. She didn't stop until she was on Wickery Bridge. She skidded to a halt once she crossed the threshold. Nilly braced her hands on her knees and tried to slow her breathing. She stood there for a moment, and quickly looked over her shoulder. No one was behind her. Was there ever anyone there at all? She continued to walk back home when a thought popped in her head.

_I should have taken the car._

* * *

"You haven't heard from her?" Elena said into the phone.

"No, was I supposed to?" Bonnie replied nervously.

"No, no. I jus- she-, She left a note saying that she was going out and I thought she went to see you."

"I haven't seen her, Elena. Not since last night. But don't worry, she probably went to town." Bonnie tried to sound reassuring, but the other end of the phone was silent. "Elena, you don't think Damon did something...?"

"No, you're probably right Bonnie, just being neurotic." Elena said now trying to be the reassuring one.

"You have a right to be. Nilly doesn't know about all this supernatural stuff-"

"And I want to keep it that way." Elena said quickly.

"Don't you think that it might cause more harm then good?"

Elena stood still, realizing she had been pacing back and forth, across the kitchen.

"Bonnie, if you want to tell her about your secret that's up to you. But keeping her from everything that's been going on _is_ the best."

"I understand that, but I feel like Nilly deserves to know."

What if Bonnie was right, what if it was safer for Nilly to know? Would she even believe Elena?

"I don't know Bon..."

"I'm not saying spill everything to her tonight, I just think that, over time, she should be brought out of the darkness. Especially if she's staying for a while. It might be for the best. I got to go Elena, I'm heading into town. I'll keep an eye out for Nilly, okay?"

"Yeah, thank you Bonnie."

"And Elena."

"Yeah?"

"Don't worry so much."

"Thank you Bonnie" Elena said, she hung up the phone. Bonnie was right. Nilly was fine and Elena was over acting.

Then, why was Elena's stomach still turning?

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

There ya go! Chapter Four up! Thanks so much for reading!

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RLS

**Featured Works:**  
The Raven - Edger Allen Poe  
Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url

Nilin:

/chapter_four_nilin/set?id=90399788


	7. Chapter Five: The Common- Part 1

**Chapter Five: The Common- Part 1**

Nilly had made it back into the center of Mystic Falls, her feet hurt and she was still on edge. At least she made it back, though.

_Always the optimist, Nilly_, she thought to herself.

Walking through the streets she looked around her hometown. Not much had changed since her last visit. Nilly found that surprisingly comforting. Same stores, same old statutes, same accent buildings, even the same color of flowers planted everywhere.

People were around now, the huge clock on top of town hall said it was a quarter to eleven. Had she been out that long? She must have lost track of time.

The day was beautiful, the temperature rising enough to make Nilly take off her sweatshirt as she sat on one of the old brass benches in the Common.

The Common was an area dead set in the middle of town; too big to call a park, but too small to be called a field. Main Street wrapped around it and, usually, it was the center of one of the town's annual events. Mostly, it was just a spot of perfectly cut grass with trees and bushes evenly scattered about. A path ran through it, encircling several benches and a fountain in the middle.

Here you could see joggers in bright colored spandex, businessmen noisily talking on the phones, people walking their dogs, children in strollers, and some playing 'King of the Castle' in one of the trees.

Nilly quietly watched the people around her, they were just simply going about their day. The normality of it made her happy. She reached down an unlaced her converses, removing her sore feet from them. The sun was warm on her face, she closed her eyes and lifted it towards the sky, soaking in the warmth.

She set her bag next to her on the bench and pulled the Edgar Allen Poe book out again. She flipped to a different page and silently read. With the motions of others' life happening around her and her mind wandering the pages of one of Poe's stories, time seemed to slow.

"Boo!" said a voice, so close to her ear it made Nilly jump out of her skin. The book went tumbling to the ground. It never hit the dirt though, a hand had shot out and caught it before it could.

Nilly held her chest and said breathlessly, "Jeeze."

"Did I scare you, again?" Damon asked with a cocky smile on his face.

"What did I tell you about that?" Nilly snatched the book out of his hands and placed it back in her bag. He laughed a little, his face still close to her. Damon leaned his arm on the back of the bench, resting it behind Nilly and shot her a heart stopping smile. The sense that she had known him before came over her again, but she brushed it off.

"Sorry, I wouldn't want you to drop dead or anything," he said mockingly, still laughing.

"Ha ha," Nilly grumbled, "Real jokester, aren't you?" She intended to sound bitter, but her words came out too soft.

Damon leaned in towards her and smiled, "Oh, I do more than just joke."

_That _sent her heart pounding in her chest. She laughed nervously.

Nilly smiled back at him, trying to keep her cool, "Oh really?"

"Really. You should see me at pool," his smile widened as he stared at her, causing her thoughts to go blank and her heart to skip. There was something she was forgetting, something important she should be remembering. Something Elena said...

"You know, I'm not supposed to be talking to you right now," she said, composing herself. She was starting to feel jittery, as in if he didn't back up a little and let her breathe she might go mad.

"Oh," he said, not so surprised, "And why's that?" He leaned back a little and raised his eyebrow. She took a breath, and calmed herself.

"Well," Nilly said leaning slightly towards Damon, as if to tell him a secret, "Apparently, you're dangerous."

He started laughing, and she couldn't help but laugh with him. Now that she said it, while he was sitting _right _next to her, it sounded ridiculous. How can he be dangerous? He was just a normal guy living in Mystic Falls.

Then he stopped laughing and looked at her. He got closer to her, his face only a few centimeters away. Nilly sucked in a breath. His lips, close to her ear, whispered, "What if I am?"

Then he pulled away again, and started laughing loudly. Nilly couldn't breathe, she couldn't move. Her heart, her breathing, her mind was stunned. She let out the breath she was holding and along with it a nervous laugh.

"You see Nilly, I'm supposed to stay away from you, too."

Nilly blinked, the stun wearing off. She stared at him with confusion, "Oh, and whys that?"

Damon just smiled, and leaned towards her again. Not as close as before, but enough to cause her stomach to flutter. "Well according to my brother I'm going to, quote, 'Screw your life up'." Damon said, lifting his hands to make air quotations.

_Stefan said that?_ Nilly wondered. Why? Could Elena have put him up to it? Or vice versa? Very simply, and somewhat surprisingly, Nilly looked up at him and asked, "Well, are you?"

She stared at him, a calm look on her face. He stared back at her, his dark elegant eyes taking in her expression. A second or two passed in silence.

"Well it seems like we both got a stern talking to last night," he said, smiling and _completely_ dodging her question. Nilly didn't know what to make of Damon not answering her. Right then, she should have listened to Elena's warning and left. She should have known she was setting herself up. Her choice in men had always been horrible, her luck was ten times worse, but she was still sitting there.

Why would someone like Damon Salvatore want to talk to her anyway? There had to be something more behind it. Elena was always the pretty one with the charming personality, not Nilly. So then why was he sitting here with _her_? And that's why Nilly didn't get up and leave. That wonderment kept her there, talking to him. Or maybe it was her naivety that kept her...

"Clearly _you're_ very dangerous and _I'm_ a broken mess. Or, that's how everyone sees us at least," she said smiling.

Damon laughed, he genuinely laughed. Not his normal mocking dark chuckle that she usually got. The sound made her stomach take off with butterflies. She still couldn't figure out what it was about him that caused her thoughts to scatter, her face to turn red, or her heart to skip out of time. He had this unknown effect on her and it made her nervous. Was it his charm or was it something more?

_Or are you just being a paranoid freak, who's about to screw up a normal conversation with a normal guy_, the voice of reason in her head yelled.

"Clearly," he said, a grin still lingering on his lips, then he paused, "Tell you what, I won't tell my brother that we were talking, if you don't tell your cousin."

"Deal, I mean, I wouldn't want you to get in trouble with Stefan or anything." Nilly said sarcastically, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh trust me, Stefan can be _very_ scary." She chuckled and tucked a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Elena's very frightening too, you know?"

He looked at her questionably, "Really?"

"No," Nilly laughed, rolling her eyes, "she's a saint. You'd have to do something pretty terrible to get her to hate you."

"Well I wouldn't want to be the person to go against Saint Elena." Damon said leaning towards Nilly, a crooked smile on his lips.

"No you wouldn't," she replied, determined not to show him any reaction, even though her senses were screaming and her thoughts intoxicated by just his scent alone. He leaned in farther, "That would end badly, I presume."  
She wasn't going to be the one to pull back first, she wasn't going to give in to this spell he had on her.

"Very bad," she found herself leaning in towards him now, drawn in by some unknown force, "Blood, fire, plague. All that good stuff."

She grinned, her eyes locked with his. Something silent passed between them for a moment.

But it was too quick to recognize what it was. He continued to stare at her, his strange dark eyes so beautiful to her that she was lost in them. Suddenly he pulled away, sitting up straight.

"I should leave then," he said. Surprised by his quick movement, Nilly jerked backwards, not realizing how close they actually had been. She looked around quickly to see if anyone had been watching, but no eyes lingered in their direction. With little difficulty, she managed to stand, too.

"Oh, um..." she mumbled, nervously playing with the silver bracelet on her wrist. He caught her hand and held it between his, slightly squeezing her fingers.

"It was nice seeing you again, Nilin. You're much more interesting than these town folk." Damon said, then very gently he touched his lips to the top of Nilly's hand. A shock went through her arm just like the night before. Electrocuting her nerves, turning her cheeks bright red. But he didn't seem to notice as he released her hand.

"See you around, Nilin," he winked at her and walked away. He left her standing there, her hand still suspended in air, her mouth open, her cheeks burning and her heart racing.

So much for not reacting...

* * *

"Maybe I should call her again," Elena said, pacing her bedroom floor. She'd been on edge ever since she woke up to find Nilly gone, and with little explanation as to where. Even after her phone call to Bonnie, who tried to reassure her, Elena still had an uneasy feeling.

The feeling only grew worse when Jenna left for work and Jeremy went to the library. Unable to relax she called the one person she knew who could calm her down.

"You've already called three times, Elena." Stefan said, perched on the edge of her bed.

"Then what should I do?" she asked, continuing to pace a rut in the floor.

"You should sit down, before you give yourself a heart attack."  
Elena stopped and looked towards Stefan, whose face held worry and concern for her.

He was right. The only thing Elena was doing was getting herself more worked up. She walked over to the bed where Stefan sat and slowly sunk down next to him. She put her head in her hands, trying hard to keep the scream of frustration from escaping out of her.

"What's keeping him from doing to Nilly what he did to Vickie or what he might be doing to Caroline?" she said, through the frustration.

A strong arm wrapped around her and a comforting hand locked its fingers with hers.

"Me," he said, "I am."  
Elena looked up at him, "Stefan..."

"I'm not going to let anything happen to her, Elena," he took both her hands in his, his brilliant green eyes capturing her gaze, "I promise."

She nodded slowly then laid her head on Stefan's chest.

"I'm not going to let him hurt her, either," she said, finally felling comfort in Stefan's words.

"Elena, I don't want you between this-"

"She's my family, Stefan! I can't let something happen to her," she said, looking him straight in the eye.

"I know, I know. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't." Elena promised and leaned her head back on his chest again.

He ran his fingers through her hair, and quietly said, "I can't lose you."

Elena shut her eyes, her hand found his, "You won't."

* * *

It took Nilly a few minutes to compose herself. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and slipped her shoes back on. She turned to grab her bag off the bench, when she heard someone behind her.

"Oh, I see how it is," said a voice, "you come to town and don't even bother to say 'Hi'."  
Nilly turned around, recognizing the voice.

"Tyler?" she asked.

"Who else?" he said, smiling.

The smile on Nilly's face got even bigger, because in front of her stood Tyler Lockwood. The football jock, the Mayor's kid, but more importantly, to Nilly, her best friend. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. In response he warped his arms around her waist, hugging her just as hard.

"Tyler!" she said, feeling like she might start to cry, "I've missed you so much!"

He chuckled, "I've missed you, too."

She had to stand on her tippy-toes to hug him, because he had gotten so much taller than her. Tyler had dark brown hair that looked black most of the time. It was cut shorter than Nilly could remember. His eyes were still that same rusty-brown that reminded her of the forest, though. She did notice, while they were hugging, that he definitely bulked up. No awkward teenage Tyler anymore, that's for sure.

She pulled away from him, still smiling.

"I can't believe you're here," he said, "Why...?"

She laughed, knowing him for way too long to take any offense from that. It was just how Tyler was, blunt and to the point. One of the reasons she liked him so much, he wasn't the one to be fake or screw with you.

"I needed to come home for a little."

"Well how long is 'a little'?" he asked, putting his hands in his front pockets.

"Enough time for you to buy me lunch." Nilly said, winking at him.

"Oh, well then lunch it is," he laughed, "This way madam." Tyler directed her as they began to walk, nudging her hip. She gave him another hug, still smiling, completely over joyed by just talking to him.

She had known Tyler since they were little, they had shared the same playpen for years. Their mothers used to do business with each other a lot, so she and Tyler usually ended up together. Forced to be nice to one another, Nilly grew to love him. Eventually he was the only one, other than Elena, that she'd talk too. She'd even talk to him about things she wouldn't tell Elena about. And he'd listen to her, he even stood up for her like a big brother would.

It was actually comforting to have someone look after her like Tyler did. They grew closer over the years, but when Nilly moved out of town she had lost connection with him. The last time she had been in town was her aunt and uncle's funeral, and she had only seen Tyler for a short while. Most of her focus was on Elena and Jeremy, so she didn't get the chance to talk to him, and then she left town again. But now she was back and she could talk to him again, like they used too.

"Oh, you don't know how much I've missed you Nilly," he said as they began walking to The Mystic Grill.


	8. Chapter Five: The Common- Part 2

**Chapter Five: The Common- Part 2**

Bonnie grabbed her keys and purse off the kitchen counter. "Grams! I'm going out for a little!" she called.

"Alright, sugar," her grandmother's voice echoed from the back room. Bonnie walked down the hallway. She stopped to look at her reflection in a mirror hanging there, when someone knocked on the door.

"I got it!" she yelled to her Grams. Bonnie opened the front door, "Hell-" she stopped short.

"What do you want?" she said coldly to a smirking Damon Salvatore.

"Oh come now, Bonnie. Is that anyway to speak to a friend?" he asked, his eyes hidden by dark sunglasses. He had such a cold arrogance to him. Bonnie could sense it just by standing in front of him, it made her shiver. He wore a simple black V-neck shirt, dark navy jeans and black boots, but he still had this old era class to him.

"You're no friend." she said, putting an emphasis on each word. He laughed and crossed his arms over his chest. She was about to slam the door in his face but his foot stepped in the way, stopping it from shutting.

"Just give it to me Bonnie," he said.

"You can't come in here, Damon. Even if you could, I'd stop you."

"Just give me the necklace, witch, and no one needs to get hurt," he spat.

"You can't hurt me Damon," she said. Her grip on the door tightened as her heart began to race; not from fear, but from adrenaline. _But would he know that?_, she wondered.

Then he started laughing again, "Not you, Bonnie. Why would I hurt _you_ when there are plenty of your little friends around?"

"Leave Damon, now," she warned. A pulsing heat began to grow in her chest. Bonnie could feel the power, the magic, flowing in her. Her mind called for it from the elements around her.

"Give me the damn necklace first." He was getting irritated, she could tell. His shoulders were tense, his hands balled into fist.

"Why do you want it so bad?" she asked. "Why this necklace, Damon?"

"Because, I just do. I need it to get something I want. And trust me, Bonnie, I _always _get what I want," he smirked. He went to reach towards her when, Bonnie gathered the heat in her chest ready to call on it, if she had to...if she _could_. But suddenly, Damon fell to his knees, grabbing his head.

"Is there a problem here?" Gram's voice came from behind Bonnie.

"Ugh!" Damon gasped, still holding his head. In his struggle to stand back up, he fell down again.

"You threaten my granddaughter, or her friends, one more time and I'll do _much_ more than give you a little headache," she warned, her voice so powerful it made something inside Bonnie shiver.

Then the front door slammed, leaving Damon withering on the porch and Bonnie slowy turning to her grandmother.

"We need to talk," Grams said, arms crossed over her chest.

* * *

The air outside had gotten muggy, unseasonably warm for the start of June. So when Tyler opened the Mystic Grill's doors for her, Nilly welcomed the cool air-conditioned air. She could barely see inside the restaurant last night, thanks to the dim party lighting. Now she could actually see its interior and it had transformed.

For one, it wasn't packed full of dancing high schoolers. One table held a few businessmen, talking angrily over their steaks. Another held a group of girls a few years younger than Nilly, giggling and pointing to a magazine. A couple nestled in a booth, a man sitting at the bar for a mid-afternoon drink or two and the uninterested looking waitresses were the only people there now.

Tyler led Nilly to a table next to the window. Looking outside, she had the full view of all the little stores and businesses around the Common. Tyler sat down in front of her and let out a long 'ahh'.

Nilly smiled, "What's that for?"

He smiled back and leaned his arms on the table, "Just happy, I guess."

"Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh I don't know, Nilly. Maybe because schools almost over, or because the weathers so nice, or because my best friend decided to drop into town without any warning," Tyler said still smiling at her, exposing his perfectly white straight teeth.

Nilly rolled her eyes and kicked his shin under the table. He was about to make a scene out of it but the waitress came.

"Hi Tyler. Hey-" she stopped when she turned towards Nilly. She didn't recognize the waitress, she was another blonde, Nilly must have gone to school with her, and she was probably on the High School Spirit Squad. "Nilly," Tyler said, finishing her sentence.

"Right, Nilly. Thought you were Elena at first, I didn't know you were back in town." she said, giving Nilly a weird look.

_Now _Nilly remembered her, she was one of Caroline's friends. Alyssa something or other... That explained it.

"Well, I am." Nilly said dryly.

"Great…" she said, giving Nilly another unwelcoming look, then she turned back to Tyler, a smile on her face, "What can I get you?"

She took Tyler's order, her back towards Nilly the entire time and a smile on her face. Then, she turn to Nilly again, smile gone. "And you?"

"I'll just have what he ordered." Nilly said, closing the menu. Alyssa the Waitress snatched it from her and walked away. Nilly rolled her eyes and look at Tyler, who looked like he was about to stand up and go after her.

"Don't bother Tyler, she's not worth it," she said, stretching her arms in front of her.

"How many years has it been since you've lived here? And they're still treating you that way," he said leaning back in the booth and shaking his head.

"Once a mean girl, always a mean girl. A few years of my abstinence isn't going to change that. Beside, Caroline hates me and that means all her little followers do too."

"How can she still hate you? There was nothing to hate in the first place." Tyler said resting his elbows on the table.

"Ty, I don't even know _why_ she hates me in the first place," Nilly laughed. "But, I think I know what I did to piss her off this time."

He smiled at her, "What did you do?"

Nilly twirled a strand of hair between her two fingers and said, very proudly, "I kind of crashed her party last night, and I might have taken the spotlight off of her." She stopped twirling her hair to look up at Tyler whose smile had disappeared.

"You realize she's going to go after you, now," he said.

"I know."

"And she's going to sick all her friends on you, too."

"I know."

"And she probably has a bounty on your head right now."

"I know."

Then, Tyler's smile returned, "And you're not going to let her mess with you, right?"

Nilly smiled back at him, "Of course not, I'm different now. I'm stronger than her. So let her spread rumors and talk about me, let her call me names again, let her do all that petty crap, I can handle it now. I've been through too much for a bleached blonde to even bother me now." She sat back in the booth and crossed her arms over her chest, still smiling.

"Wow, look at you. What happened to you, Nilly?" Tyler said, rubbing his hand under his chin.

"Like I said, I've changed."

Just then Alyssa the Waitress came back with their food, Nilly smiled and thanked her when she set the plate in front of her. Of course she snorted and spun on her heels to leave.

Nilly looked up at Tyler again. He slid over his French fries to her, "She probably spit in yours." he said.

Then they both started laughing, forgetting about Caroline and Alyssa the Waitress.

* * *

"Thank you for lunch, Tyler." Nilly said as he pulled up to Elena's house, right behind her Jeep. She opened the car door, grateful Tyler had offered to drive her home, Nilly's feet were still killing her from this morning.

"No problem Nilly, anytime," he said, watching her get out.

Nilly closed the door and lean in the open window, "I've missed you, Ty," she said looking down.

"Well, your back and you can't miss me now. So everything's good," he smiled. "Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Of course," Nilly said smiling and looking up. Then she noticed the time. "Crap," she cursed under her breath.

"Hurry, go before you get in more trouble." Tyler said, winking." I'll see you, kiddo."

"Bye!" Nilly said dashing away from the car and up the porch steps. She opened the front door to the house and stepped inside.

"I'm back," she yelled as she slipped off her sneakers and padded down the hallway into the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway.

"Um, hey there," Nilly said leaning on the door frame, combing her fingers through her hair nervously. Elena sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen, a hand at her hip.

"Hey there." was all she said.

"I- I was just," Nilly stammered, pointing over her shoulder, "I lost track of time. I'm sorry."

She looked down at her socks, expecting Elena to say, or do something. But she didn't, she just 'Mhm'ed and nodded her head slowly.

"I meant to call you, but my phone, it-it died last night, and I just left here." Nilly tried to explain. "I should go charge it." She went to turn around to retreat up the steps when Elena spoke.

"Who were you with today?" she asked, causing Nilly to freeze and turn back around slowly.

_There's no way she knows..._

Nilly swallowed hard, should she just be honest with Elena? Honesty could be painful for Nilly though... _And it's not like Damon and I _did _anything, just talked right?_

Besides what Elena doesn't know won't hurt her. And with that, Nilly was able to answer, "I saw Tyler today, he took me to lunch."

"Oh? Ooh…" Elena looked at her with surprise and then something like shame. "That's awesome," she smiled and got up to stand in front of Nilly, "How was it?"

Nilly smiled and let out a breath of relief, Elena wasn't suspicious. "It was good, really good. I've missed him."

"I forgot how close you two were. I-" she paused and shook her head, "I'm sorry about that, I was just worried about you."

"Because of what you told me last night?" Nilly asked.

"I just didn't know where you were."

"It's okay, I left a note though."

Elena laughed, "Yeah, that was helpful."

Her laughter was cut short because Nilly surprisingly hugged her, and hugged her tight. She could see the worry in Elena's eyes, and she could see the relief in them too. It made Nilly want to reassure her. It made Nilly feel loved, and guilty for lying. But lying was the best, right? She did promise Damon, in first place.

Elena patted Nilly's back, "Can't breathe, Nee."

"Sorry, just looked like you needed a hug."

She laughed again, "Come on, let's go unpack your stuff."

Elena took Nilly's arm and led her upstairs.

* * *

** Author's Notes:**

I apologize for the late update! I'm still trying to get use to my summer schedule. Here's the rest of chapter five for you, chapter six will be posted on Wednesday like usual. Don't forget to Favorite, Follow & Review to let me know how I'm doing. Thank you for reading!  
RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url

Damon:

/chapter_five_damon/set?id=90400358


	9. Chapter Six: The Rose- Part 1

**Chapter Six: The Rose**

The rest of Nilly's first week back in Mystic Falls went slow. Elena and Jeremy were still in school for another week and Jenna worked during the day, leaving Nilly with a ton of free time on her hands. She'd wake up to say 'Goodbye' to everyone, they would apologize for leaving her alone, she would make a joke and tell them it was fine, then they were gone and the house was empty.

It was always too quiet. Nilly never liked the quiet, so she'd blast the stereo until she couldn't hear herself think.

But when that got boring she'd leave the house and walk into town. She went every day with a different book and sat on a bench somewhere in the Common. And every day Damon would find her, manage to scare her again and then invite himself to sit with her. Her books were never finished, because most of the time she was too busy talking to him.

They still had the deal to keep their secret meetings a secret from Stefan and Elena. It seemed like there was no harm in doing so, besides from what Nilly got from Damon was that Stefan was as unsuspecting as Elena was. Besides, they weren't lying to anyone, just not mentioning it to them. And Damon talked to her like any normal guy would, except he asked a lot more questions. He seemed to want to know everything about Nilly, but there wasn't much to tell.

One day, he showed up with a red rose so beautiful you'd think it was fake. He must have come up behind her, because on that day Nilly was determined to spot him before he could spook her. But she didn't have eyes on the back of her head and of course, when he brushed the rose petals across the nape of her neck, she gasped and jumped into the air. And then he laughed at her, causing her cheeks to turn red.

They got redder when he presented her with the stunning flower.

"Where'd you find this?" Nilly asked, spinning it between her fingers and marveling over it.

"I picked it on my way here," he said, smiling at her.

"Well, it's beautiful. Thank you."

He continued to smile at her as he laid his arm on the bench behind Nilly's head.

"So, tell me..." he began, starting the questioning already.

Nilin was still spinning the rose stem between her fingers, she didn't look up at him.

"Why do you want to know so much about me?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the bright red petals.

"Because I find you very interesting," he said nonchalantly.

Nilly snorted and rolled her eyes at the flower, "Sure."

_Why is he even talking to me?_, she thought. _He has to have something, anything, better to do._

Nilly pondered this while she rubbed the glossy soft petals between her fingers. When suddenly a strong hand grabbed her chin and pulled her head up gently, forcing her to look straight into midnight eyes.

"I'm serious, Nilin. There's something about you that intrigues me," he said, pulling her face closer to his.

Nilly couldn't think, so she didn't. Even as Elena's words ran through her head over and over again, Nilin let him pull her in closer. The entire time she looked into his midnight eyes, and he stared back into hers. She leaned into him, closing the space between them on the bench. His eyes seemed to glisten and his lips parted slightly.

They were so close she could feel his breath, it gave her goose bumps. Nilly let out a shaky breath, her eyes lingering on his lips. They curled slightly into a grin as he slid his hand, that was under her chin, to her cheek. It felt cold on her burning skin. She looked up into his eyes once more, and then he closed the gap between them completely.

His lips touched hers lightly, as if they were feathers. But the feathers sent a jolt threw her body, causing her lips to tingle on his. She leaned into the kiss more, closing her eyes. Another, stronger shock went through her body, causing her heart to frenzy as the electric current reached the tips of her fingers.

Damon must have felt it too, because suddenly his soft kiss deepened. He leaned towards her now, pushing her back on the bench. He pulled away slightly and then put his other hand on her other side of her cheek. Holding her head between his hands, he kissed her again.

The kiss lasted until Nilly had to pull back and gasp for a breath. He actually made her forget to breath. Her fingers went to her pounding heart in her chest to her tingling lips that were slightly parted.

"Whoa…" she breathed, her eyes wide, her breathing finally returning to normal. She looked at Damon, he wasn't looking at her though. His face was turned around and his hands were clasped into fists.

"Damon?" she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. He didn't answer her. He was ridged though, his knuckles white. Nilin pulled at his shoulder to turn him around.

"Damo-" she started to ask, but stopped. The glimpse she got of Damon's shocked her. Something was wrong with his eyes, but before she could see more he ripped himself out of her grip and stood abruptly, his back towards her. The sudden movement scared Nilly. She stayed sitting on the bench, one hand over her heart and the other balled in her lap.

_Did I do something wrong?_

"Damon, are you okay?" she asked, the confusion and worry evident in her voice. "What was up with your..." He turned back around, his face normal and smiling.

"Of course I am, nothings wrong," he assured coolly.

He was smiling at her still, but she didn't return it. She sat there, her cheeks still burning with a slight feeling of rejection.

_I mean, I've kissed guys before, but they've never reacted like that_, she thought silently.

Her eyes found their way to the red rose in her hand. She had been squeezing it so tight, a thorn had pricked a small cut in her finger. Nilly lifted her hand up higher to get a closer look at the tiny puncture wound. It welled up with blood slightly and Nilly put her finger to her mouth to stop the bleeding.

When she looked up to say something Damon was gone, no sign of him at all. She looked around frantically, but he was gone. As if he hadn't been there at all, the only evidence that he was there was the rose in Nilly's lap and her still rapid heartbeat.

She went home that night sluggishly dragging her feet and still not understanding what had happen. She had more questions than answers and her emotions where so tangled and contorted that she didn't even bother sorting them out.

As she got ready to try and fall asleep, she placed the rose on her windowsill, not completely sure what to do with it. And after a restless few hours of tossing and turning she still couldn't managed to fall asleep, the kiss still on her mind. She couldn't turn her brain off long enough to fall asleep. So at some point in the night, Nilly lifted her head, flicked on the lamp and pushed the covers off her. She got out of bed, grabbed her guitar, plopped herself on the floor and softly started strumming away.

* * *

Damon sat on the large leather couch, drink in hand, his feet perched on the edge of the ancient coffee table in the main room of the boardinghouse. The same boarding house where Stefan lived. Stefan hated the fact that Damon was here, so Damon stayed. The room had a high ceiling, plain wallpapered walls that held various old items. Brass candle holders hung in each corner of the room. On the longest wall an ancient ivory fireplace sat.

Damon stared at the dark fireplace, useless in the summer months of Virginia, as thoughts welled in his head.

_What had happen that afternoon?_

He had never come that close to his control unwillingly breaking before. A century long to develop and tune his self-control had allowed him to tame the wild bloodlust side of him… when he wanted to, that is. And he had almost lost it, all because of a kiss. His whole plan could've been ruined because of a kiss. Over his years Damon's kissed many women, but never like that. Usually it was the women reacting to him, not the other way around.

_What would have happened if he didn't stop himself? _He wondered, a smirk coming to his lips.

That's when he realized, his smirk vanishing, that Nilin had sparked something in him. Something that Damon couldn't put his finger on. Frustrated he slammed his glass down on the coffee table almost shattering it in his hand.

_What was it..?_

He couldn't let some human girl screw up his plans, not when he was so close to getting what he wanted. He had to remember Nilin was just a part of it. He needed her to get to the girl he really wanted, Katherine Pierce.

He finally knew where Katherine was and what the key was to getting to her. All Damon needed was the ingredients and he'd finally have her back again.

She'd been trapped in a tomb for over a century now, under the old Fells Church property that had burnt down in the 1860's. His memories of that night were still hazy, but he remembered enough. Damon thought she had died in the fire that burned the church down. He thought he had lost Katherine forever. She was the first girl he'd ever fell in love with, but so did his weakling of a little brother. It was a tragic love triangle that led to both brothers dying to save her, and in the end, ultimately becoming vampires.

_How romantic_, Damon thought with a dark sarcastic smile.

_What had Katherine even seen in Stefan?_ he wondered. _The same thing Elena sees in him_, whispered a voice in his head. Damon snorted a laugh. Once he had Katherine back Stefan could fall off the face of the earth for all he'd care, along with Nilin and Elena.

Damon sat up, leaning his elbows on his knees. He needed the witch's necklace, but how would he get it? He already tried Caroline, that didn't work out well. He tried getting it himself, he even asked nicely, but that ended painfully. He sat there, trying to devise a new plan. He either had to get the necklace or find another way of opening the tomb without it. How though? His mind worked fast, going over all the possible plans. Then he smiled to himself, finally thinking of one.

A hostage crisis might work out. They'd surely give him the necklace and anything else he wanted if one of their precious friends were in danger. But who...?

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Uh-oh. What devious plans does Damon have rolling around in his head? Find out Friday, when Part 2 is published. Thanks for reading. Favorite, Follow & Review.  
RLS


	10. Chapter Six: The Rose- Part 2

**Chapter Six: The Rose- Part 2**

Damon had an idea, he stood up quickly. With a plan already forming in his head he walked out the door and focused all his power into running. His perfect eye sight guided him even in the dark. _Perks of being a vampire_, he thought to himself. With little effort, he reached the house in no time. Hidden by the shadows, Damon made his way into the backyard, remaining absolutely silent. His predator instincts kicking in as if he was on a hunt, his senses tingled. His body practically hummed with anticipation as he crept forward. All the windows were closed and dark, no light coming from any of them. Except one. One window was wide open with a dim light shining through it.

_This is too easy_, Damon thought. The white curtains blew slightly through the opening with the lightest summer breeze. He stood right under the window, staring up. Crouching with his muscles locked ready to thrust him up through the open window and into the bedroom, he heard something. A voice.

It echoed softly through the window, floating down to his ears. It was Nilin, he was sure of it. He'd know her voice anywhere. She was singing. He could hear the words now, focusing his hearing to transform the murmur into lyrics.

"_And it's all that I can hear  
It's more than I can bear_,"

The sound of a guitar came floating down with the words as well, matching Nilin's voice.

"_What if I fall and hurt myself  
Would you know how to fix me?  
What if I went and lost myself  
Would you know where to find me?  
If I forgot who I am  
Would you please remind me?  
Oh, cause without you things go hazy,_"

Damon could hear Nilin humming the melody softly as he continued to stare up. His muscles seemed to relax as he stood up straighter, momentarily forgetting why he was even standing under her bedroom window at all.

He backed into the shadows slowly, keeping a watchful eye on Nilin's window. He backed up until he was at the base of a large oak tree that grew in the Gilbert's backyard. Gracefully and carelessly he perched himself high on one of the long thick branches of the tree, allowing him a better view into Nilin's room.

There she was sitting, with her legs crossed on the hardwood of the bedroom floor. Her back was leaning against the side of the bed as she strummed the guitar in her lap softly. Nilly's brown curly hair fell recklessly over her shoulders. Showing how different she was from Elena, who's hair and clothes were always neat and tidy. Nilin's bangs fell into her eyes slightly and between humming she'd blow them out of the way, or at least she tried to.

Even though the room was poorly lit, the only light emanated from a side table lamp as far as Damon could tell, he could see her perfectly. He stretched his legs out in front of him on the branch, put his hands behind his head and rest causally in the tree.

_Maybe I'll stay here for a little, just to rethink the plan_, he thought with a sarcastic grin dancing on his lips.

* * *

Nilly rolled on her side, stretching her arms out in front of her. She blinked her eyes open, groggy and sore from a poor night's sleep. "Ugh," she groaned as the morning light burned her eyes.

_How did I even end up in bed? When did I stop playing and put my guitar down?_ Nilly wondered. Her memory was spotty, showing that she still wasn't fully awake. She rolled over on the bed again and gasped. She had miscalculated how close she was to the edge and went tumbling over. She land hard on the wood floor, letting out an 'oof' when her back hit.

"Ow, really?" she grumbled to herself, trying to untangle her body from the covers. As she was fussing with the blankets Nilly heard her door open, and then laughter. She lifted her head to find Jeremy standing over her, arms crossed over his chest and laughing.

"Uh, what happen?" he asked still chuckling.

"Shut it and help me up." Nilly said, reaching a hand out. Jeremy grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands, still trying to wake up.

"Did the floor challenge you to a dual, or something?" Jeremy asked picking up her blankets and tossing them on to the mattress.

"No," Nilly confessed, "I rolled off my bed." She looked down, a slight redness on her cheeks as she straightened out her pajamas. Jeremy chuckled to himself.

"You know, they have this marvelous invention called 'legs', they're supposed to stop you from falling," he smirked at her. "You should try them."

Then he started laughing again, clearly amused by his own joke. Nilin wasn't, though. She grabbed one of her pillows and started hitting Jeremy over the head with it.

"Ow!" he complained, raising his arms to block her blows.

"Get out. Out, out, out," she said following him out of the room, continuing to bombard him with her pillow until she closed the door in his face.

Nilly dropped the pillow, and pushed her hair out of her face. Then, she heard a knock on the door.

"What?!" she said raising her pillow and swinging the door open, expecting to find Jeremy there with more sarcastic comments.

But instead she found a wide eyed Elena with her hands raised in front of her, "Whoa there, put the weapon down," she joked.

Nilly dropped the pillow again, "Sorry."

She ran a hand through her hair and looked at her cousin. That's when she realized there was someone standing behind her. Stefan leaned causally on the wall behind Elena, his hand trying to cover the smile on his face.

Nilly looked down at herself, all she had on was a ratty t-shirt and tie-dyed shorts, as Stefan stood there impeccably dressed like always, along with his gorgeous everything. She couldn't even imagine what her hair looked like right now... Her head snapped up quickly, her cheeks beginning to blush.

"Eep," she squeaked out and swung the door shut. She could hear Elena and Stefan's laughs muffled through the door.

"What do you want?" Nilly yelled as she desperately searched for a hairbrush.

"Let me in," Elena said on the other side of the door.

"No."

"Oh, come on," she argued.

"Nooo." Nilly said again.

"Please? Just let me in." Elena tried.

"I'll stay out here." Stefan offered. With an inner groan, Nilly padded over to the door, opened it quickly, grabbed Elena's arm and forcefully pulled her in, slamming the door again behind her.

"Yes?" she asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

Elena still hadn't recover from her giggle fit with Stefan, "I'm sorry, I just-"

"Yeah, yeah," Nilly said, going over to the long mirror to comb her hair out.

When Elena finally composed herself she walked over to the flower-patterned sofa in the corner. Sitting down she said, "There's a party tonight, well really it's a dance at the school. An end of the year celebration for everyone and I think you should go."

"Two problems," Nilin said, "One, I hate parties and two, I don't even go to school here anymore."

Elena smiled, "Well, you hate parties because you never go to them, and you're in Mystic Falls, Nil, I'm pretty sure you can get into a High School dance without any trouble."

"Elena-" Nilly was about to argue, but she cut her off.

"Come on, Bonnie, Matt and even Tyler are going to be there, it will be fun. An easy, carefree night with friends, I promise. Besides, I feel bad leaving you alone all the time."

Nilly turned around to face Elena. "I don't mind being alone," she said, "But what the heck, why not, I'll go."

Elena just smirked at her, "Good, because even if you said 'no', I would have dragged you there anyway."

"That's why I agreed." Nilly said, rolling her eyes, "Another problem though, I don't have anything to wear."

"Oh, don't worry, I already figured something out."

"What did I just agree to?" Nilin groaned as she turned back to focused on combing her hair out while Elena talked. This was so unlike her. Elena never cared about what Nilly wore. And why was she set on having Nilly go out tonight? Nilly brushed it off quickly though as her cousin just being excited and left her worrying at that.

When her hair was neat and she had more decent clothes on she allowed Stefan to come in, out of the hallway. He sat with Elena on the couch as Nilly scurried around straightening out the bedroom. She eventually sat down, crossed legged, in front of them as the three talked about random things. Mostly, getting Nilly caught up on the drama and events she had missed out on while she was gone. Things like the death of crotchety Mr. Tanner, Elena quitting the Spirit Squad, a new history teacher, and of course all the juicy break-ups and make-ups.

Nilly noticed things about Stefan and Elena as they talked. The way one glanced at the other when they weren't looking. The way Stefan mindlessly played with Elena's fingers. How, as time went on, they got closer and closer together on the already tiny sofa. And just the feeling alone that radiated off the two off them was enough to make Nilly smile. They were clearly happy just sitting in the guest bedroom, chatting on about this or that. They seemed to be crazy about each other.

Nilly was sure that at one point, when she turned around quickly to grab her guitar from besides the bed, Elena had pecked Stefan on the lips quickly. As if she had been waiting the entire time for Nilly to look away just to do it. But Nilin caught them. She didn't bring attention to it or anything, just giggled quietly to herself, like the hopeless romantic she was.

Nilly was happy for Elena, but she did feel a twinge of jealousy. She knew Elena, if anyone, deserved a good normal relationship with someone as sweet as Stefan, but didn't Nilly deserve one too? Where was her fairy tale ending? Her prince?

The something dawned on her, she realized that she didn't need one. Her life wasn't some fairy tale. She was never the damsel-in-distress kind and that was okay. Nilin could save herself, even if it was her heart that got her into messes. She worked better alone anyway. Besides, getting close to people just allowed them a chance the leave you. You can't hold on to someone forever.

With that thought Nina quickly distracted herself by focusing on the two love birds in front of her, instead of the rose on the windowsill that she had been staring at.

* * *

**Author's** **Notes:**  
All of Chapter Six is now up! Thank you for reading, it really means a lot to me. I'll be publishing Chapter Seven on Monday, so I hope you guys like it. Remember to Favorite, Follow & Review. Especially Review because I want to know your thoughts and how I'm doing. Anyway, thanks again.  
RLS

**Featured Song:**

Hazy by Rosi Golan

**Check Out the Outfit:**

Go to Polyvore Dot com and attach the following to the end of the url

Nilin:  
/chapter_six_nilin/set?id=90401079


	11. Chapter Seven: The Dance- Part 1

**Chapter Seven: The Dance- Part 1**

After Stefan left to get ready for the dance, Elena went into her room to get dressed as well. Leaving Nilin with some alone time to prepare herself for the night. She really didn't want to go to the dance. No, like, she really _really _did not want to go. She'd rather have donated blood than go, but she didn't see a way out. She'd already stupidly said yes to Elena, so she was screwed.

"Ugh." Nilly grunted as she flopped herself on the bed. Staring at the ceiling of the guest bedroom, she tried to give herself a pep-talk.

_It's just a normal high school dance, I've been to one of those before. It will be fun! _Her pep-talk wasn't working. She turned over so she was lying on her stomach.

"Why can't I just be a recluse?" she wined into the mattress. Then she sat up, still grumbling, and went to shower.

She stood under the hot water longer than she needed to, by the time she came out her fingers and toes were all pruney. She wrapped a towel around herself and, reluctantly, began the task of getting ready. Nilly pulled a comb through her hair, and straightened her bangs so they hung perfectly on her forehead. Spraying a bottle of hairspray to make sure her waves stayed wavy and her frizz stayed unfirzzy, she was finished with her hair.

She lined her eyes with a dark charcoal eyeliner, coated her lashed in a thin layer of massacre, and, adding a shimmering soft red eye shadow she stole from Elena's room, Nilly managed to make her gold flecked eyes pop. A touch of red lip stick and she was ready to get dressed. Only one problem, she didn't have any dresses. Nilly had only packed the essentials when she came here and a dress wasn't on that list.

_What am I supposed to wear? _she pondered, starring at the closet which was mostly barren other than some shirts and jeans Elena had hung for her. Nilly tapped her fingers on her chin and thought, _Maybe if I focus hard enough, a dress will appear._

That's when she saw it, hanging on a metal hook in the back on the closet. A black slip cover, something you would put over a fancy suit so it wouldn't get wrinkled and ruined. Nilly took it out of the closet and laid it on the bed. She unzipped the cover and pulled out a beautiful black dress. She slipped it on quickly and looked in the mirror.

It was form-fitting, highlighting Nilly's curves, and stopped right above her knees. The black fabric was layered, creating a cascading effect down her body. It had a low neckline, and was strapless. Nilly twirled in front of the mirror a few times, stunned. Even though Mystic Falls was a small town, it was a rich town and people dressed to impress, even if they were going to a school dance. Nilly was sure her dress wouldn't be the fanciest, but she didn't care. This was the best she looked in a long time, she smiled at her reflection.

_Thank you, Elena_, Nilly thought with a smile, still looking in the mirror. Her smile drooped a little into a slight frown. Something was missing. But what?

Something on her window sill caught her attention. She walked over and lifted the red rose that Damon had given her yesterday. Nilin examined it, twirling it with her fingers again. Yesterday had seemed so far away, she had almost forgotten about it. _Almost_.

The rose was still perfect, though. No signs of decay or browning petals. Nilly clipped the rose's stem off, being careful not to bruise the flower and then she gently pinned it in her hair.

"Perfect," she said smiling to herself.

Maybe her night was going to turn out good after all. That's when she realized she felt excited now and not anxious. With that feeling fluttering in her stomach, she pulled on a pair of black heels Jenna let her borrow and left for the Mystic Fall's End of the Year School Dance.

* * *

Caroline held her hand, palm down, in front of her, admiring her freshly manicured nails. The blue delicate design on her thumb nail matched her dress perfectly. The dress hung to the floor, hugging her body until it flared out at her hips. It had shimmering blues corresponding with light streaks of green, making her green eyes shine. She even curled her hair especially for tonight.

_I look dazzling right now_, Caroline thought, smiling with one hand on her hip.

She looked around the dance that she semi-single handedly put together, sort of. It was held in the high school's gymnasium. But you couldn't tell it was a gym after Caroline had gotten done with it. Twinkling lights hung everywhere, lining the entrance and strung around every pole. Streamers lined each wall and white balloons covered the high ceiling and littered the floor. Overall, it was stunning and all the credit went to her.

Caroline lifted her head higher as she descended the stairs of the small stage she had set up for the live band she had hired.

She smiled and waved to people as she walked through the filling gym. The music was humming in the background as couples began to dance. A crowd had formed at the refreshment table, guys getting drinks for their dates, the small group of chaperons nibbling on the snacks. Then she spotted someone, he had his back turned to her but she was sure of who it was.

_If the black leather jacket didn't give it way it was the cockiness that radiated off him_, Caroline thought, glaring at Damon Salvatore.

As if he could hear her thoughts he turned around towards her, a smile on his face, and winked.

She clenched her fist. How dare he act like that after the way he treated her. She wanted to tell someone about him, but he told her not to. Now whenever she tried there was a barrier around her words that stop them from coming out. She wished she could…

Damon took his attention off Caroline as he turned back around. He was talking to someone, another chaperon. It was the new history teacher, Alaric Saltzman. Caroline knew all about him, she was good at sticking her nose where it shouldn't be.

She quietly got closer, trying to hear what they were saying. Neither seemed to notice her, which was kind of frustrating but helpful at the moment.

Damon was introducing himself, "Damon Salvatore," he said shaking Mr. Saltzman's hand. The music got louder, making it harder for Caroline to hear.

"... little brother. I'm his legal guardian, hence the chaperoning..."

_They must be talking about Stefan_, she thought, trying to hear over the base.

"I hear he's very bright," Mr. Saltzman was saying, "Not that I've had a chance to see for myself."

"Well, his attendance records a little spotty." Damon explained. "Family drama." Caroline almost laughed, she knew the real reason. Damon had told her, but for some reason now she couldn't remember. She focused back on the conversation.

"No parents?" Mr. Saltzman asked.

From what Caroline could see it looked like Damon smirked a little, "No, it's just the two of us now."

Caroline knew she knew the reason for that too, but her memory kept slipping. Alaric was still asking Damon questions, and by the looks of it Damon was getting annoyed.

_Be careful Mr. Saltzman, you won't like Damon when he's annoyed_, Caroline thought with a smile. She couldn't hear what he asked but whatever it was caused Damon to give him a suspicious dirty look.

Alaric laughed a little, his voice rising enough for Caroline to hear. "... nosey. Enjoy the rest of the dance." And then Alaric was gone, Damon eyeing his back as he left.

Now it was Caroline's chance to confront Damon. Maybe then she could explain to him why she couldn't get the necklace or, or something. Wait, why did she even care? Damon was cruel to her, and she was pretty sure he was the reason why her memory was so screwed up. She started to walk over to him, hands on her hips and chin high. Then she stopped, Damon was gone. He vanished.

"H-How?" she stuttered, spinning around, searching for him.

He was right in front of her and then he was gone. With a sound of annoyance, Caroline stomped her foot and stalked off.

_Forget him, maybe I'll find someone to flirt with_, she reasoned, brushing Damon off her shoulder.

She headed for the entrance again, seeing if she can catch up with Bonnie. Not that she needed a wingman to get a guy but one didn't hurt. Caroline thought she saw Bonnie's curly brown hair. So she walked towards her, but stopped on her heels. Her jaw dropped,_What the hell is _she _doing her?_

Nilin Gilbert walked in behind Elena and Stefan, head down and smiling. People were staring at her, their jaws dropped like Caroline's.

_She's not even supposed to be here, let alone look better than me_, Caroline thought, her fist and jaw clenched tight.

Nilin was wearing a black strapless dress that made her look like a runway model.

_Gothic bitch_, Caroline internally mused. She had to admit, the rose _was_ a nice touch.

Why couldn't she just stay gone? She always has to ruin everything for Caroline. And now she was ruining tonight, Caroline's dance.

Caroline was clenching her jaw so tight now, it hurt.

_Fine, she wants come to my dance uninvited, I'll make sure she doesn't go to another one ever,_ Caroline promised, a bitter smile on her lips.

* * *

Even though her cheeks were crimson, Nilly lifted her head up and plastered a smile on her face. She could feel the eyes on her as she walked into the dance. She kind of expected this, she didn't belong here and even though this is where she grew up, she was kind of an outsider. She sort of always was one, even when she lived here. She forgot how small of a town Mystic Falls was. And in small towns one little event can seem huge, one small rumor was headlined in the news by morning, and secrets were seemingly impossible to hide.

_Doesn't mean they can keep staring, I'm not going to explode or anything_, Nilly thought, looking herself over subconsciously.

She caught people eyeing her, heard whispering as she passed, and saw the quick glances in her direction. Was she really that big of a deal?

_Little awkward Nilin Gilbert with the dead mother and drunk father has come back to Mystic Falls , and is she smiling? Ooooh! Let's all point at her,_ Nilly bitterly thought, making her self laugh a little, _They're all gossip whores, and nothing more._

Nilly kept cutting through the mob of people at the dance. The entire school had shown up. Girls were in gorgeous gowns, guys in stylish suits. Neither Elena nor she was over dressed. Elena, who insisted on driving them to the dance, saying it was fine with Stefan meeting them there. Elena, who Nilly knew only did that because she didn't want Nilly to feel left out. And Elena, who looked so gorgeous in her white gown that shimmered with gold streaks, that the moment Stefan had seen her in it, was attached to her. And she was attached to him, leaving Nilly to awkwardly trail behind them. She tried to keep up with them as they walked into the dance, feeling like she needed some type of barrier from all the stares she was getting.

She was so consumed with worrying about the people looking at her and making sure she didn't have lipstick in her teeth, that when she lifted her head to look up, Elena and Stefan were gone. They had been right in front of her a second ago, but the room suddenly seemed extremely packed. She'd lost them and found herself standing in a crowd of unfamiliar faces.

Nilly started to feel jittery as she looked for a way out. The room was dimmed, due to the only light coming from the many strings of white bulbs everywhere and she kept stepping on popped balloons that got caught on her heels. But she managed to break out of the middle of the dance floor, and pressed herself close to the gymnasium wall.

She was still getting weird glances and glares thrown in her direction, but she realized why. Not only was she not supposed to be here, she was now standing alone awkwardly against a wall. She was giving them a reason to gawk at her, and not a very good reason at that. Nilly desperately searched from a familiar face.

Then somebody came up next to her.

"Wanna dance?" he asked.

Nilly let out a breath of relief as she grabbed Tyler 's arm, "Yes, please."

She let him lead her out on to the floor again, into the swarm of people.

"Don't let go of me," she whispered to him as they squirmed their way through.

"Don't worry, I won't," he promised, tightening his grip on her. They had made their way to an open spot on the floor. She took Tyler 's hand and laid her other one on his shoulder as he placed his other hand on her waist. He spun her around a few times as she laughed and purposely stepped on his feet. Then they slowed their pace down to match everyone else's around them.

"You look amazing," he said, smiling.

"Thanks, but I don't feel it." Nilly confessed, looking down at the ground.

"Don't let people get to you, Nilly. Ignore them, enjoy your night. You know their just jealous of you."

"Ha," Nilly laughed, looking up, "Jealous of what?"

"Well, you are dancing with me." Tyler said cockily. Nilly stepped on his foot again, hard.

"Hey! Watch it, these are new shoes." he complained, but started to laugh.

Nilly looked at Tyler now that he drew her attention to his wardrobe. He was actually dressed pretty sharp. He had on dark grey dress pants, a dark navy blue collared shirt all ironed and tucked properly with a matching grey tie that was now crooked. Overall he looked pretty handsome.

She straightened out his tie for him and said, "You clean up nicely too, I might add."

He smiled at her and spun her in a big circle, "Why, thank you."

"You're very welcome," she smiled. Just then the song ended, and she heard someone call his name. He looked up to see who it was.

"I'll be right back, okay," he said, starting to turn away from her.

"No wait, Ty-"

"Stay right here," he said, and then he disappeared into the sea of people.

"Great, just great." Nilly murmured as she looked around the dance. Now she was ditched and stranded in the crowd for the second time tonight. The music had started up again, an unfamiliar song began to play.

_My eyes open to the sound of a song I've heard,  
Don't know the name but I know all the words  
Sun came up, crawled into the front seat  
Memories leaving me, was it all a dream I had?  
Time for us to wake up_

Nilly looked around once more, searching for Tyler, or Elena, or someone. But she only saw the mob of faces, she felt her heart beat kick up a bit and her breathing became a little shaky. She tried to concentrate on the song playing around her as couples twirled and rocked back and forth with each other.

_I'll save my words to make the most of it  
I never meant to be gone so long_

She needed to get out of her, now._ If Tyler really needed me then he can come find me_, Nilly thought. She turned attempting to blast out of the crowd like a mad woman, but ran into someone's back instead.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Part One of Chapter Seven like I promised! Hope you guys liked it, Part Two will be published on Wednesday. Thank you for reading! Don't forget to Favorite, Follow & Review.  
RLS

**Featured Song:**

Gone So Long by Breathe Carolina _(keep a look out for this song, it's going to be popping up often.)_

__**Check Out the Outfits:**

Nilin:

/chapter_seven_nilin/set?id=90377372

Elena:

/chapter_seven_elena/set?id=90379171

Caroline:

/chapter_seven_caroline/set?id=90379985

Bonnie:

/chapter_eight_bonnie/set?id=90416508


	12. Chapter Seven: The Dance- Part 2

**Chapter Seven: The Dance- Part 2 **

"Sorry," she apologized to the man, "So sorry. I wasn't paying attention-" The stranger turned around, revealing that he wasn't a stranger at all. "Damon?" Nilly asked, confused. "Wh-what are you even doing here?" she asked, unable to catch her breath now. She started to feel trapped. Not bothering to wait for an answer, she tried to find a way around him.

Clearly seeing the panic in Nilly's eyes, Damon said, "Come on, let's get out of here." He reached a hand out towards her. "Grab my hand," he ordered, all ready lacing his fingers with Nilin's. She took hold of it, as if it was the only solid object around and didn't let go. Not even when they got outside, still she held it tight trying to control her breathing. The air was much cooler out here, but it had the mugginess of June to it.

"Dammit," Nilly cursed under her breath. She absolutely hated this, usually she was able to control it better.

"Nilin?" Damon asked with a tone of concern. She was bent over slightly now, focusing on the ground. His hand still trapped in hers.

"Nilin look at me," he said. She looked up at him, releasing his hand.

"I-I'm fine," she answered, already feeling better. "I should just go now," she said, straightening her self up and backing away. "Thank you."

Nilly turned around to leave when Damon grabbed her hand and spoke up.

"Wait, wait. You're upset with me, let me explain." She stopped and turned back around half way, pulling her hand away from him.

"Okay, fine. An explination would be nice. Where'd you vanish off to yesterday?" she asked, turning around fully now and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Nilin, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said walking closer towards her, a charming smile on his face. She let out a cold laugh.

"My feelings? My feelings are fine, Damon. Don't worry," she lied, her feelings weren't fine. They were just tangled in this mumbo-jumbo mess to the point of numbness. "You still didn't answer my question."

Damon dropped his hands to his side, his eyes grew harder. "I didn't know how you were going to react, so I left," he tried to sound convincing. "I know it was cowardly, and I'm sorry." Nilly knew that he wasn't being completely honest with her, but she felt a twinge of truth in his words. Either way, it was clear that that was all of an explanation she was going to get, so she'd take it for now.

"Fine, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice still cold.

"I have to look out for Stefan, remember?" he said looking up at her. Her expression didn't change. "I'm chaperoning the dance." She continued to stare him down. He sighed. "They were short on volunteers to chaperone so I was asked to come." When Nilin still didn't take his explanation, Damon asked, "Do you really think I'd want to spend my Saturday night here?"

Something in the back of her mind told Nilly not to believe him, that he was obviously lying. But another voice reassured her that there must be a good reason for him to be lying.

"Well seeing as it seems like you don't have many friends... Yes, this is probably how you want to spend your Saturday night." Nilly shot back at him, arms still crossed over her chest.

Damon smirked, chuckling a little before he slipped his hands into his front pockets. "What are _you _doing here, Nilin?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

She narrowed he eyes at him and uncrossed her arms. He caught her.

"I'm living the life, Damon. Sneaking into High School dances, it's how I live on the edge," she answered with heavy sarcasm in her voice.

"Cute," he said, giving her a look.

Nilly sighed. "Honestly," she spoke slowly, her exterior cracking slightly. "I don't know. I was forced against my will to come and then ditched."

"Well, that sounds like a fun night." Damon said laughing. She eyed him, but then he asked, "What were doing when you bumped into me?"

"Trying to leave," she said looking down. She sounded so pathetic, so weak. It infuriated her.

"Why? I thought you were living your life on the edge." Damon questioned. Nilin shot a look at him, stepping towards him till they were face to face.

"I don't belong here, Damon, never did. So I decided to come to this dumbass dance," she said, angrily motioning her hands towards the gym entrance. "Why? Maybe you cam figure that one out."

Damon looked at her and said in a strong gentle voice, "Because you're stubborn. You don't want to give them that satisfaction of pushing you out. So, you returned to prove them wrong."

Nilly looked down, her eyes stung slightly but she fought the feeling back. "Yeah, stubborn," she said and looked back up at Damon. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said. He was quiet for a moment. Then his hand went to her hair, he stroked the rose that she had pinned there. A smile came to his face as he recognized it. "Would you like to dance?" he asked suddenly, still smirking. He held out his hand to her again, the other behind his back.

"I'm not sure, Damon. Elena and Stefan are in there, somewhere." Nilly said, feeling apprehensive.

He laughed, "So what? I'll face the wrath of my little brother and Saint Elena, if you will."

Nilly started laughing, and took his hand. "Alright then, I would love to dance," she said, curtsying slightly.

They walked back into the dance. Nilly ignored the stares now._ Let them talk about this._ She just kept her eyes on Damon, who led her easily into the crowd.

Nilly notice the song playing now, it was the same one as before. _Something must__'ve__ happen__ed__ to the band_, Nilly thought. And sure enough, when she looked over at the stage and DJ, there was no band in sight and Caroline was yelling at some kid, the veins in her neck showing. _Poor guy_, she thought.

Nilly didn't mind, though. She liked this song, she kind of knew the words to it now.

They had made their way into the middle of the gym floor and Damon gracefully started to twirl her. Nothing like the way she and Tyler had been dancing. It actually seemed like Damon new what he was doing and it was kind of fun.

"You're not half bad at this." Nilly said.

"I've had practice," Damon smirked. He spun her in a circle again, suddenly she was staring at the ceiling. He had bent her backwards so fast it made her gasp. Then she was standing up straight again, and pressed up against a grinning Damon. She glared up at him, "Don't do that."

"Do what?" he asked trying to sound innocence.

"Be all charming and Mr. Suave and stuff."

"But I'm always charming," he said raising his eyebrows, his black eyes shining.

"Don't do that either." Nilly said.

"And what's that?" he said smiling.

"That eye thing you do."

He grinned at her and rose his eyebrows again, "I assure you, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, yeah," she said rolling her eyes. They rocked back and forth slowly for a little.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"For what?" he asked.

"For helping me before."

"Well, you are welcome Nilly." Damon said, brushing the hair out of her eyes. She felt that shock run down her spine again, he must have felt it too because his hand froze there for a moment. Then he dropped back to her waist. What is that? It had only ever happened with Damon, she realized. Saving that mystery for another time Nilly focused on something else and began to quietly sing the words of the song.

_"__Do you still remember my touch at all?  
I never meant to be gone so long as I have,  
You won't be home, I never meant to be gone so long  
Do you still remember my touch at all?  
I never meant to be gone so long."_

She leaned her head on Damon chest lightly as they danced slowly, his hands moved to her waist. Even when the song ended, they didn't stop dancing.

* * *

They were all shocked, jaws dropped and eyes wide. Bonnie, Caroline, Elena and even Stefan all had the same look on their faces. They had been standing off by the refreshment table, chatting. Stefan had been complimenting Elena again and Caroline was failing at another attempt to get the necklace from Bonnie, when Stefan cut off in mid-sentence and his eyes focused on something else. The rest of them looked up to see what had caught him off guard and were stunned to find a laughing Nilly dancing with Damon. They were talking and dancing like they knew each other for years now. Clearly, no one knew exactly how to react. There was a feeling of anger charging between the four of them, mostly focused on Damon, but Caroline's anger was directed towards Nilly.

She was fuming, W_hy would he dance with her, before me? There's nothing special about Nilly at all, she's a nobody and now Damon was flirting with her!_

She was clenching her fist as the surprise began to wear off on the others around her. Elena and Stefan were whispering frantically, but Caroline was too irritated to even bother to hear what they were saying. Damon had chosen Caroline first, before Nilly. Even though he said some nasty things to her didn't mean she was over him. He was obviously over her, but she wasn't over felt used, like he was only pretending with her. He never looked at her the way he was staring at Nilly right now. And most of the time he was always blowing Caroline off, unless when he needed her for something. Why was she feeling so upset about this? Was it because he had thrown Caroline away for Nilly? The one person she truly couldn't stand.

Caroline was much better at getting guys than Nilly was. _Has Nilly even had a boyfriend yet? Does she know what a boy is?_ Caroline wondered. Damon should have been easy to get, but he wasn't. He tricked her, played with her emotions and screwed with her memory. She wasn't going to sit around and watch Nilly with Damon anymore. She stomped off into the crowd of dancing people, pushing people out of her way.

"Caroline!" she heard Bonnie call after her, but she ignored it as she made her way towards Nilly. Nilly saw Caroline coming before she had reached them. She stopped dancing, her hands dropping from Damon's neck. He turned to see what Nilly was staring at and saw Caroline coming at them. Damon stepped in front of Nilly and in a stern whisper said, "Caroline, what are you doing?"

"None of your concern Damon," she said coldly, pushing around him to get to Nilly. He was about to say something more when a strong hand clamped on to his shoulder and spun him around. Damon had to face Stefan now. Stefan began arguing with his brother and Damon was throwing cocky comments right back at him. The both of them started backing up towards the exit consumed in their own argument. Damon started to make his way from Nilly, who looked confusingly at him as he followed Stefan out of the gym, both disappearing. Then Nilly turned back to Caroline, anger in her eyes. "What do you want?" she asked bitterly.

"Oh what Nilly, you think it's okay what you're doing?" Caroline said, placing her hands on her hips coolly and glaring at Nilly.

She glared right back, "What are you rambling about?"

"You come in here like you own the place, like you have the right to dance with guys who aren't even yours to dance with. Do you think people are just going to let you do whatever you want because you're such a sad sack? We'll they're not."

Nilly had her hands crossed over her sleek black dress, her hands were balled up in fists and her mouth was in a tight straight line. Her eyes burrowed into Caroline. She didn't say anything, a silent pause passed between them. That's when Caroline realized the music had stopped playing and people had stopped dancing. _Perfect, I perform better with an audience,_ she thought with a smile.

Then she notice Nilly begin to change, her hands loosened up, she dropped her arms to her side as she said in a strained voice, "Is that all, Caroline?"

For some reason this infuriated Caroline even more, she wanted a reaction out of Nilly, not the calm collective person in front of her. Caroline laughed. "You really are pathetic, aren't you? You can't even defend yourself, because you know I'm right, no one wants you here." Caroline saw Nilly's eyes flash across the crowd of people and then shoot back to her.

"Mmm, careful Caroline you might bust a blood vessel." Nilin said coldly. "You know, I thought it was okay to come tonight because I had this wild idea that you all grew the hell up," she said loudly, looking around the group that had gathered around. "I guess I was wrong," she said more softly. "But I did make the mistake of coming tonight so that means I have the right to dance with anyone I want too. I have the right to talk to anyone I want to and I have the right to leave. I'm done explaining myself to you Caroline, you're not worth it."

Something burst inside Caroline, something ignited by Nilly's words. Nilly was blowing her off, getting ready to leave. She was making her look bad in front of everyone.

"He's just using you. He doesn't really care about you. I mean, why would he?" she said, raising her voice because Nilly had turned and started to walk away. Now she stopped, turning back around towards Caroline. "He only said yes to dancing with you because he's using you or he just feels bad for you. Either way, don't get your hopes up." Caroline continued.

Nilly stared to laugh a little, "He asked _me_ to dance Caroline, nice try though."

She went to turn around again when Caroline said, "Where is he now, then? He left you. Everyone did, notice how no one has even come to help you. Not even your own cousins, who are both here at the dance, I might add. Everyone just seems to leave, isn't that right Nilly? No one really cares about you, so I don't even know why you bother coming back here." Caroline knew she struck a nerve, because Nilly was frozen, her back towards Caroline. She turned around slowly, ridged. Caroline could see the tiniest glisten of tears on her cheeks, so she kept going.

"I bet your own father didn't want you. That's why you're here, right? He threw you out even in his drunken state. Well, that's what I heard anyhow," she laughed. "What? Mommy's gone and daddy doesn't know what to do with you? I know what I'd do with you if you were my daughter."

Suddenly Nilly was right in front of Caroline, talking strong and loudly, "My mother died six years ago, I've been trying to put her to peace for six years. So you don't deserve to talk about her, you don't have the right! Understand!? Do you know what it's like to lose a parent while the other can't function without a bottle in their hand, and then not even four years later lose the closest thing you had to a mom and dad? Do you?!" Nilly yelled getting close to Caroline's face. Caroline opened her mouth to say something but Nilly shouted, "And I don't mean a dad who decides to leave his family for another guy. Lucky you Caroline, you get two daddy's and a mom, but where are they exactly, huh?" Caroline clenched her jaw, her face getting hot. She backed away from Nilly. "See, you don't have the right to bring up my family when yours is just as screwed up."

She needed to say something, she couldn't let Nilly get away with this. She had to say something fast because Nilly was beginning to back away. Nilin had her back to her when Caroline yelled, "At least my mother's alive, and my dad's not a drunk." Caroline crossed her arms over her chest and smirked.

Nilly was back in Caroline's face. Caroline didn't even get a chance to blink before she saw Nilly's fist go up. There was a dull thud sound as Carolina felt a pain in her left cheek. Then she was stumbling backwards into the punch bowl, landing in red sticky juice and ruining her dress. She heard gasps as she fumbled to stand back up, and as Nilly pushed her way out of the dance.

"That bitch punched me!" she shrieked.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks for reading guys, it really means a lot to me. Remember to Favorite, Follow & Review so I know how I'm doing and what to do better! Thank you all so much.

RLS

**Featured Song:**  
Gone So Long by Breathe Carolina


	13. Chapter Eight: The Amulet

**Chapter Eight: The Amulet**

She ran for the exit, her head was spinning and there was an ache in her hand. She stumbled out of the gym, into the parking lot. Tears were streaking down her face, her hands were shaking and her head was spinning. Anger was rolling off her, while grief made her vision blur. Nilin trekked through the parking lot until she had to leaned on someone's red pick-up truck that was parked outside. Nilly held her already swelling knuckles in front of her. She examined them while she wiped the tears out of her eyes with her good hand. She flexed it and a fiery pain shot through her knuckles and up her arm.

"Crap," she cursed, closing her hand again. It was definitely screwed up, but was worth it. A cast for the cost of uglying up Caroline Forb's face? Completely worth it. Nilly wasn't usually the violent type, but there's a line and Caroline had crossed it.

Nilly slid down to the ground and threw off her heels, wincing when she moved her hurt hand in the slightest bit. She took a few breaths and leaned her head back on the truck. She felt anger swell up inside her again, hearing Caroline's voice repeating in her head. She had been saying those things about Nilin for years now, making up stories and rumors, but it was always behind her back. She's never said them straight to Nilly's face before. Well, not before tonight that is.

Usually Elena was a barrier between them. She was a common ground, but Elena hadn't been there. A moment of that barrier being down had left Nilly with a screwed up hand and Caroline with another reason to hate her.

Laying her hands in her lap carefully, she looked down at her black dress. It still looked as dazzling as it did in the beginning of the night, but now all Nilin wanted to do was rip it off and trade it in for a pair of sweatpants. Her makeup was probably ruined, along with her hair. She lifted her good hand to comb her fingers through her curls and out of her face.

Then she heard movement, heels scuffing against the pavement. Nilly squinted in the dark. She could see a little thanks to the few lamp post scattered around the school's main parking lot but the surrounding woods were dark.

_Could it be Caroline, wanting me to even out the bruising on her face?_ Nilly thought with a dry smirk. Using her good hand and the mirror of the red pickup truck, she hoisted herself up. Standing again, she got a better view of who it was.

"Bonnie?" Nilin called, squinting in the dark. It was Bonnie, walking through the parking lot and heading straight towards the trees. She was wearing a woodsy green colored dress that contrasted with her skin perfectly. It hung to her knees and had thick straps with an oval neckline that made her look almost like a forest nymph. A strange necklace hung around her neck that shown orange when light from a lamp post hit it.

"Bonnie!" Nilly called again, but she didn't even look at her. She kept walking, back straight, head forward, right for the woods. Nilly hugged her hurt hand to her chest and ran after Bonnie. "Didn't you hear me?" she asked when she reached her, but Bonnie kept walking, not looking at Nilly. "Bonnie? Bon, what's wrong?" Nilly was walking with her now, trying to keep up as they headed for the tree line. She stepped in front of Bonnie, holding her hand out to stop her. "Look at me, Bonnie. What's wrong?"

Bonnie stopped, she looked up at Nilly with a strange expression. "I have to destroy it. I can't let him have it," she said in a low detached voice.

"Destroy what? Who can't have what?" Nilly asked confused. Now she was really starting to get worried. Bonnie started walking again, shoving past Nilly. Then she disappeared into the woods. Nilly couldn't let her go in alone. She looked around desperately for anyone to help, but the parking lot was vacant. So, like any person as sane as she was, she went after Bonnie into the forest, bare feet and all.

* * *

"What did I tell you Damon?" Stefan was yelling. Elena had never seen him so angry before. Damon was leaning on a locker, arms crossed over his chest with a bored look on his face. Elena stood behind Stefan, glaring at his brother. When Damon saw her staring at him he grinned arrogantly, giving her a wink. Elena's eyes hardened before she looked away and focused back on Stefan.

"I warned you to leave Nilin alone. She's not going to be put in harm's way because of you." Stefan said. "People die around you, Damon. Don't you see that?" he continued. "And most of the time it's by your own damn hand."

Damon just huffed, the smirk still planted on his haughty face. "She's a human being, Damon. Not some play toy of yours," Stefan said, walking up to his brother and jabbing a finger at him. "Do you understand me?"

Damon just laughed, brushing Stefan off as if he was an annoying child. Elena's stomach was doing flips and her hands were clasped in to fist by her sides as she watched the older smug Salvatore brother. Her emotions were still on high.

The moment she saw Nilly with Damon her heart dropped. She had begun to feel jittery, like she was about to throw herself between the two of them. That would have caused a scene though and would have made more problems than solved them. Not that the two Salvatore brothers squaring off in the middle of a crowded gymnasium did much to help.

She had told Nilly, begged her to promise, to stay away from Damon, but there she had been, dancing with him right there. Did she realize how fast Damon could kill her if he wanted to? Hell, if he was bored enough to! The thought made tears prickle her eyes, but the anger she was feeling bit them back.

Damon pushed off the wall, and held his hands up. "Hey, I wasn't the only one told to stay away. You warned her too, Elena," he said, pointing his finger. "and she didn't listen. So I, technically, wasn't the only one disobeying," he said with a grin. "Where is Nilly, anyway?" he asked, looking up and down the hallway before his eyes landed on Elena. "Oh that's right, you left her in there to fend for herself. Nice work, Elena."

"Don't change the subject Damon, you should have stayed away." Stefan said, "You had the power to, she didn't." Damon's expression changed, like something was amusing. He walked over to Stefan.

"Are you implying I _compelled_ her to dance with me? That I've been compelling her?" Damon laughed, "Oh, little brother. I can assure you that I don't need to compel anyone for any reason." He winked again, and leaned back up against the same locker as before, "Besides, I can't compel her," he shrugged, crossing his hands over his chest. Stefan and Elena looked at him, confusion on their faces. "She's wearing vervain," Damon elaborated.

Vervain? How is that possible? Elena hadn't given Nilin anything containing the mystical plant yet. She was planning to, but it was a rare plant, hard to come by. She was waiting for Stefan to get more of the sprigs before she slip some into a necklace she was going to give to Nilin. So, how was it possible for Nilly to have come in contact with it then?

Elena spoke up, "I never gave Nilly any vervain."

Stefan and Damon's eyes went to her, confusion on both their faces. Of course Elena realized how stupid it was to let her cousin walk around Mystic Falls without any vervain, but she couldn't do anything until Stefan got more. Obviously, Nilin didn't need it though.

"Well, she has some. Trust me." Damon said. Elena's heart dropped with the realization behind his words.

"I'm warning you, leave her alone Damon." Elena threatened, starting for him. Stefan shot out a hand to stop her from going any closer to his brother, though.

"And what makes you think I'd listen to you, Elena?" Damon asked.

"Nilin has been through hell and back," Elena said. "Do you really think she needs Satan himself flirting with her?"

"This is all your fault, Elena. You should've been more honest with Nilin." Damon smirked. "You should tell her about the big bad vampires that reside in our little town here. Tell her what your sweet cherub boyfriend really is, tell her what _I_ really am," he continued, his dark eyes hardening. "Let's see how fast that sends her packing."

"I'm not going to do that to her, I cant. Nilly doesn't need that in her life," Elena said firmly.

"Good, then I think that we've all come to the agreement that our lips stay sealed. You spill about me, dear Elena, and all your dirty little secrets might just slip out as well. Are we clear?" Damon asked, his dark eyes threatening.

When he saw Elena nod, he grinned. "Oh, and don't worry. I know what Nilin's been through," he said.

"How's that, Damon?" Elena questioned, but he just laughed. It was clear he wasn't going to tell them. Elena saw it and so did Stefan because then he asked, "What are you doing back in Mystic Falls, Damon? Just tell me."

Damon pushed off from the locker again. With an amused look on his face, he strolled over to his brother. "Well, Stefan. That's for me to know and for you to dot… dot… dot…" he leered and began to walk down the hallway. "Have a nice night, you two," he called over his shoulder.

"Damon, wait." Stefan said, grabbing his arm. "I'm warning yo-" the last words weren't heard as Stefan was suddenly flying down the hallway and slamming into the lockers. When Stefan's body hit the metal, Elena heard a sick snapping noise. Her knees almost buckled right there as she watched Damon easily throw his brother through the hallway, showing off the amount of power he actually had.

One moment Damon was at the end of the hallway with a disturbing snarl on his lips, the next he was standing over Stefan. Damon reached down and grabbed him by the shirt. He slammed Stefan up against the lockers, pinning him there.

"Two things, brother," he warned, his voice sharp. "Don't touch me, and don't tell me what to do. Because I assure you, someone_ will_ get hurt." Then Damon slammed Stefan back into the lockers hard, denting them inward.

"Stop it, Damon! Just leave!"

He turned towards Elena as if her yell had reminded him that she was even in the hallway with them. Damon let go of Stefan's shirt, letting him slide down the wall.

"You should learn to control your boyfriend," he said with a disturbing smile and then Elena and Stefan were the only ones in the hallway.

Elena ran over to Stefan and knelt next to him. "Are you okay?" she asked frantically.

"I'm fine," he reassured her as he started to get up. When he stood, Stefan winced and let out a sharp breath.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Elena asked again, as he leaned against the wall for a moment.

"I'm fine, I swear. Are you okay?" he asked looking her over.

"Yeah. I'm okay," she said leaning her forehead on his shoulder. "Let's just find Nilly and get out of here."

Stefan nodded his head, "Yeah come on."

They made their way down the hallway and back into the dance. Something was wrong though. There was no music playing and a crowd had gathered around someone. Stefan took hold of Elena's hand and pushed their way through. They broke through the group of people to find who they were all standing around. A dripping Caroline was there shouting and cursing her head off. She had red stains down her dress, her makeup was running and she was holding the side of her face.

Caroline was yelling to someone about something but never of it didn't make any sense to Elena. She looked up at Stefan in completely bewilderment. When Elena saw Matt, she made her way over to him.

"What happened?" she asked when she reached him. He looked at her as if he was stunned, a wide smile on his face as he shook his head.

"Nilly punched Caroline in the face," he said starting to chuckle a little.

"She what?" Elena said, her eyes widening. Nilly had punched Caroline, she hit Caroline. Elena tried to get the thought to stick, but she couldn't. Caroline always hated Nilly.

Even Elena, who was one of Caroline's best friends, never knew why. Caroline and Nilin just have never gotten along, but they've never gotten this bad before. That was probably because Elena was always there to stop it before it reached this level.

Nilin and Caroline both cared about her, so Nilly never talked about what Caroline would say to her, and Caroline would always ignore anything that had to do with Nilly. But tonight, Elena wasn't there to stop them. Damon's words echoed in her head, _"Oh that's right, you left her in there to fend for herself."_

"What happened before that?" Stefan said behind Elena.

"Well, Caroline said a bunch of pretty nasty stuff to Nilly, I'm surprised Nilly didn't hit her any sooner," Matt said.

"Because Nilly isn't that kind of person." Elena mumbled, feeling slightly sick.

"Where's Nilin now?" Stefan asked, urgently.

Matt looked at him. "She ran out of here after she hit Caroline," he said.

"Which way?" Elena said.

"It looked like she was heading for the parking lot," Matt explained. Stefan grabbed Elena's hand.

"Thank you, Matt." Elena said to him as they started to rush out into the parking lot. When they got out there she saw that people were starting to leave. "Do you see her anywhere?" Elena asked, looking around the parking lot.

"No, I don't think she's out here."

"But Matt said-"

"Maybe he was wrong, or she could have-" Stefan was saying, but Elena started to walk away, towards a red truck. Something had caught her eye. Stefan came up behind her as she bent down and picked something up. "Elena, what-" he stopped, seeing want Elena was holding up.

"They're Jenna's," she said holding the pair of black heels Nilly had been wearing. She dropped her hand to her side and called, "Nilly!"

* * *

Nilly tried to maneuver through the woods carefully, but it was dark and she kept stumbling. Her feet were taking a beating. She cursed every time she stepped on a rock or a stick or something that she rather not want to identify. Bonnie moved carelessly through the trees as if she was floating. This just made it about a thousand times harder to keep track of her. Nilly had given up on calling her name or telling her to stop awhile ago. Bonnie just kept going with no acknowledgement of Nilly's presence.

"Owch," she winced as she felt a sharp twig jam into her heel. She leaned on a tree and pulled it out with her good hand, cursing the entire time. She looked back up and realized she had taken too much time fussing over the twig, she'd lost sight of Bonnie.

In a rush, Nilly started in the direction she'd last seen Bonnie heading. Not paying attention to the ground anymore, she stumbled over a fallen tree. She landed hard on the ground, not able to catch herself. Her knuckles were on fire and her knees stung with scrapes. Leaves and dirt tangled with her hair and stuck to her dress. She rolled on her stomach, cradling her hand carefully. Looking around, still on the ground, she saw movement. "Bonnie?" she whispered.

Nilly grabbed a hold of a tree and pulled herself back up. She pushed through bushes, but stopped dead once she looked up. She had found Bonnie, holding a large stick and using it to draw something on the ground. She didn't even notice Nilly as she stepped forward. Bonnie just continued to drag the wood through the dirt.

"Hey! Whoever you are, what are you doing?" Nilly asked loudly. Bonnie's head shot up at her, stick frozen mid-dirt scribble.

"I'm Emily," Bonnie's lips said, but in that same detached voice like before. "I have to protect them."

Nilly's mind was working fast, trying to piece this together. She thought hard, still staring at Bonnie, or Emily, whoever this was in front of her. Then it came to her, her eyes widened. "When did you die, Emily?" Nilly asked. Bonnie froze again and smiled, confirming Nilly's suspensions.

"Over a hundred years ago," she answered softly. She was a spirit, a spirit that somehow managed to take control of Bonnie's body. Well, that's definitely not something you see everyday.

"You're not hurting her by doing this, Emily. Are you?" Nilly asked hesitantly.

Bonnie looked up, "Of course not. She is my family. I have to protect my family. I can't let him open that tomb. They can't be freed."

Then she dropped the stick, and stood straight up a few yards from Nilly. "Who? Who are you protecting them from? What are you destroying?" Nilly asked, almost shouting now. Bonnie pulled the necklace around her neck off and held it out in front of her.

"This is where it all started," she said, beckoning to the old ruins behind her. Nilly realized where they were now, it was the old crumbled Fell's Church. It had burned down during the Civil War era, or so the story was... Over a hundred and forty years ago. "I made a mistake saving them, now I'm fixing it," she continued.

Then, suddenly a wall of fire burned between her and Bonnie. Nilly gasped and stumbled backwards falling to the ground. She bit her lip to hold back a cry of pain as she fell, and tried to back up away from the fire. She could feel the heat of the flames on her skin as she managed to stand up again.

"Emily!" Nilly yelled, trying to get her attention. But she was facing the other way, her lips moving. Was she talking to some? Nilly tried to look over the fire, but it burned higher the closer she got to it.

"No!" Nilly heard someone yell. The voice sounded familiar, but it was hard to hear with the flames that were roaring in her ears. There was someone else here with them, it wasn't just Nilly and Bonnie anymore. Someone was trying to stop Emily from destroying the necklace, but who could have found them out here and even know what she was doing?

She heard the same voice yelling over the fire. Nilly thought it sounded like a man, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. Emily said something back to him and then threw the necklace up in the air. There was an explosion and Nilly went flying back. "Bonnie!" she yelled as her back hit the trunk of a tree.

She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and then a wetness drip down her neck. The flames went down, turning to smoke and revealing Bonnie standing in the middle, knee's wobbling, staring at Nilin dazed and confused. That's when Nilly saw the man looming behind her.

"Bon..."she tried to warn, but before she could mumble the last syllable everything went dark.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks for reading! Favorite, Follow & Review! Have a fantastic weekend,

RLS


	14. Chapter Nine: The Witch's Secret

**Chapter Nine: The Witch's Secret**

Her eyes opened slowly. The lights above her were bright, and stung. There was a thudding in her head that pounded in her ears, and the base of her neck hurt slightly. In the distance she could hear the murmur of a voice and a machine beeping evenly. Somewhere outside the room a phone rang. She had no idea where she was, or how she had gotten there. She tried to gather her memory back, but she just couldn't grasp it. Her neck was stiff as she tried to lift her head to look around.

"Well, look who finally woke up," said a tall, sharp woman. She wore her light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and had on plain blue hospital scrubs under her doctor's coat. She walked over to a machine by Nilly's bed and pressed some buttons. The woman turned to her, looking in her eyes with a small flashlight. "Can you tell me your name, honey?" she asked.

"Nilly. Nilin Gilbert," she answered, still trying to look around the room and away from the blinding light.

"Good. Now, do you remember how you got here?" the doctor asked, clicking the flashlight off and sticking it back in her coat pocket. Nilly blinked several times, trying to get rid of the white spots in her vision.

"Um," she looked down at herself, pulling at her pale pink hospital gown and raising her wrapped up hand. "I-I'm not sure," Nilly muttered.

"Okay," she said, and then she scribbled down something on a clipboard. "That's normal, you should regain memory soon, but until then I'm going to keep you under observation," she said quickly, not looking up from her clipboard. "I'm Dr. Fells, by the way. Your family is in the waiting room, I'll tell them you've woken up. If you need anything just hit the red button behind you and a nurse will come. Any questions?" Dr. Fells said, tucking the clipboard under her arm and smiling.

"Uh, no. Nope." Nilly said, trying to unscramble everything the doctor had just spurted out. Her brain was working slower than usual, as if it was immersed in jello. Still she wasn't positive what was going on.

"Alright, good," Dr. Fells said. "I'll be back later," she said as her pager went off. She read it quickly, looked back up at Nilly, smiled and then went on her way to better more lives.

As she heard the doctor's footsteps retreat, Nilly tried to prop herself up with her hands, that's when she notice the IV in her good arm. Slowly, she laid back down with a groan.

What the hell happened? Rubbing her forehead with her not bruised hand, she tried to recall what got her there.

She remembered her black dress and the dance, all the lights and people. Dancing with Tyler as he spun her and as she joked with him was clear to her too, but then things started to get blurry after that. Well except Damon, she remembered Damon perfectly. The way he danced and twirled her, and how it felt when she looked up at him. That was all good, better than good.

So of course with Nilin's luck, something must have ruined it. The one person who could have done that at that moment, must have been Caroline Forbs. Oh yes, that's right! It was Caroline; with her spick 'n span look, her expensive top price dress and her horrible bitchy attitude.

She had said all those things that sent Nilin over the edge, and Nilin had punched her. That explained the wrapped up hand and the dull stiff pain in her knuckles. She'll have to work on her kick boxing skills, just in case there's a round two. Nilly laid her head back on the firm hospital pillow and sighed.

After she hit Caroline and ran out of the gym, everything started getting weird and that's where her memory is all screwed up. She could recall bits and pieces; a strange necklace, walking through the woods, her bare feet, fire, flying backwards, a man, and then nothing.

Why had she been wandering through the woods though? Who had she been chasing? Nilin closed her eyes and concentrated.

"Bonnie," Nilly answered out loud.

"Yeah?" someone said. Nilly's eyes snapped open. She gasped, almost jumping out of her skin.

"I need to talk to you," Bonnie said, walking into the hospital room. She was wearing jean shorts and a red tank top, her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Nilly noticed the dark circles under her eyes as she walked closer and sat in a chair next to the bed.

"Jeez, you sacred me," Nilly said, trying to figure out a way to sit up. Bonnie reached over and pressed a button on the arm of the bed. The back of it started to move forward, allowing Nilly to sit up comfortably.

"Sorry, I thought you saw me come in." Bonnie said softly, placing her hands in her lap. "How are you feeling?"

"No, I was just… never mind. I'm fine, just a little discombobulated." Nilly said, shaking her head. Her thoughts were so jumbled it made her want to scream. At the moment she just really wanted to go back to sleep. She sighed and turned her head towards Bonnie.

Bonnie's eyes were down, fumbling with her fingers. "Bonnie?" Nilly said quietly. Bonnie looked up at her tears in her dark brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Nilly," she said, tears spilling over.

Nilly reached her hurt hand out gently and placed it on Bonnie's. "It's okay Bonnie. I'm fine."

"No you're not, you have a concussion and your memory is all screwed up and it's my fault. I should have told you, you're like my sister and I was just so happy you were here. I wanted to tell you but Elena said maybe it was better I didn't, but I just felt so bad not telling you. We used to tell each other everything, but I didn't and now you're all broken." Bonnie began rambling.  
"Bonnie! Bonnie, please you're giving me a headache." Nilly said, rubbing her forehead, "I didn't get any of that rambling. I don't understand any of this. What happened out there?" She dropped her hand from her head and looked at her friend.

Bonnie was taking a deep breath, calming herself. "I'm so s-", she began to say but Nilly cut her off.  
"If you finish that sentence with the word 'sorry', I will get out this bed and kick you so hard-"

"Okay, okay. I won't." Bonnie said, leaving Nilly's threat short. Bonnie took another breath and stood up quickly. She paced the room a couple times, and then stopped right behind the chair she had been sitting in.

"This is going to sound crazy. But I'm not crazy Nilly, I swear," she said, looking Nilin straight in the eye. Nilly nodded her head.

"Okay, you're not crazy. Continue."

"I'm a witch," Bonnie finally spit out, her eyes still firm on Nilly, taking in her reaction.

Nilly let out a breath, more of a sigh of relief. She rested back in the bed. "I know," she said simply.

Bonnie seemed taken back as she slumped down into the seat. "You what?" she asked.

"I know you're a witch, Bonnie." Nilin said. "I had a hunch for a while now, last night just proved me right."

"H-how?" Bonnie asked, clearly confused.

"I'm pretty sure I remember everything that happened in the woods." Nilly explained, sitting up straighter, "A spirit or a phantom, whatever the acceptable term is, had gotten a hold of you. You, or the spirit really, conjured that fire and destroyed that strange orange necklace. You must have needed some type of magic to do that, right? And ghosts don't tend to latch on to normal people. There has to be a connection of some sorts, too," she continued, trying to map out her thoughts. "Plus," Nilin continued, showing off her detective skills, "your last name is Bennett, which, if you traced it back, emanates from a long line of witches that originated here." She let Bonnie process everything before she finished. "You see Bonnie, I always sort of knew, I was just waiting for you to tell me."

Bonnie sat there, jaw slightly dropped and eyes somewhat wide, as a silent pause passed. "How do you know all this stuff?" she asked quietly.

"Would you believe me if I told you I just did?" Nilly tried.

"Not a chance," she answered.

Nilly sighed, "Do you remember me mentioning Mildred?"

Bonnie thought for a moment. "Yeah, she was an old friend of your moms, right? She used to visit when we were younger."

Nilly nodded, "Mil used to babysit my mom when she was a little girl and grew to be a really close family friend. She's like a grandmother to me."

"And when you and your dad left town you moved up to where she lived," Bonnie continued.

Nilly nodded again. "Yeah, she found us a house up there and helped me settle in," she explained. "Her kids put her in some Senior Home, but ever since my mom passed and we moved down there she's been at my house. She's been looking after my dad, while I've been gone."

"Okay, but what does she have to do with all this?" Bonnie questioned.

"Well," Nilly explained, "Her kids put her in that home because they thought she was nutty. She used to tell them how special they were, and how they descended form a long line of witches." Bonnie just stared at her. "She's a witch, Bon." Nilly tried to further her explanation.

Bonnie's eyes seemed to widen, "Really?" There was a pause and then the questions started coming, "Is she really magic? Does she know my Grams? Am I related to her?"

Nilly interrupted her before she started rambling again, "Yes, she really is magic. I've seen it. And no, you're not related. She stems from a different witch line, but she knew who and what you were immediately when I mentioned your name one day. That's when I started researching your lineage. I was able to go as far back as the 1800's. To a witch named Emily Bennett."

Nilly adjusted herself, leaning forward, and looked at Bonnie. She was piecing everything together, finally. "That's the ghost who was in you, Bonnie. Wasn't it? She made the connection with you."  
"Yes," she answered, leaning back in the chair and crossing her legs.

"But why?" Nilly asked. Bonnie inhaled a breath as she began explaining.

* * *

Elena sat on one of the uncomfortable metal benches in the MysticHospital's waiting room. She had been there all night and was still in her long white dress from the dance. The bottom of her dress was stained with dirt from walking through the woods. She rested her head on her hand as she waited for news about Nilin. The night had blurred together, she barely remembered the time between leaving the dance and finding Nilly and Bonnie in the woods. As the exhaustion of the night began to settle in, Elena's mind flashed back.

_ "Nilin!" Elena was calling before turning to Stefan, "Where could she be? You don't think he could have–"_

_ "No, no. Don't think like that." Stefan was saying, trying to clam her down._

_ "But how do you know that–" Elena went to say, but he cut her off as he grabbed hold of her hand and started towards the forest._

_ "Wait, shh. I hear something," he said, focusing his power on his hearing and sharpening it. Whoever he was picking up on was deep into to the forest, Stefan could only get a soft murmur of their voice._

_ "Do you think its Nilly?" she asked. Like usual she and Stefan were on the same page, he was thinking the same thing she was._

_ "It's our best guess," he said, as he led her carelessly through the trees. Her dress kept getting snarled, so they were forced to stop a few times._

_ "There's something else," Stefan said as they got closer. "I can sense the power someone's using."_

_ "What do you mean?" Elena asked as she scurried over a fallen tree._

_ "I can feel someone using power, a lot of it and they're close," he explained. Just then he could pick up on another voice. "Bonnie," Stefan said._

_ "Bonnie?" Elena asked, slowing down._

_ "No!" they heard someone yell suddenly. Stefan and Elena's heads snapped in the direction of the shout. Elena began racing after the voice, ignoring the ripping sound coming from the bottom of her dress. Then there was a loud explosion, and a cracking noise. Elena hadn't even seen him, but Stefan managed to pull her to the ground, shielding her from whatever had just blown up. Elena could see light coming from somewhere, Stefan helped her back up as they started running towards it._

_ They broke through the tree line just in time to hear Bonnie scream._

_"Damon stop!" Stefan yelled as he grabbed Elena's arm and stepped in front of her. She peeked around him and was horrified to see Damon right behind Bonnie, mouth open and fangs clearly extended, inches from her throat._

_ Damon grabbed Bonnie's shoulders and looked Stefan straight in the eye, "I was going to bring Katherine back!" he yelled infuriated. "That was the only way I was going to get her back! I needed that necklace!" he continued. "She destroyed it! Emily didn't keep her side of the deal, so why should I?"_

_ "Damon, don't do this." Stefan was saying. "It wasn't Bonnie's fault." _

_Damon's body stiffened as if he was about to attack her, but suddenly Bonnie was tripping forward and Damon was gone, disappeared into the night. Elena ran to Bonnie, and grabbed her arm to steady her. "Bonnie what happened? Are you okay?"  
Bonnie was shaking, "I-I don't know," was all she said._

_ "Elena!" Stefan called urgently. The sound of his voice chilled her bones as she turned towards him slowly. She choked out a sob, and stumbled towards him. Falling to her knees next to Stefan, she placed her hand on Nilly's limp dirty one. Nilly was unconscious on the ground, her back sluggishly leaning against a tree, eyes closed and dress ruined._

_ "She's alive," he said in a strained voice. "But there's blood." Elena was the one shaking now, tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt someone kneel next to her. Bonnie was rocking Nilly's shoulder lightly, trying to wake her._

_There was a wet spot on the tree above Nilly's head, darkening the bark. Elena touched it, and looked at her fingers quizzically. The tips of her fingers were stained red with Nilly's blood. Stefan had stiffened up next to her and she furiously wiped her hand in the dirt, trying to remove the blood._

_ "We need to do something," she said turning to Stefan who was already scooping Nilly up in his arms gently. Elena and Bonnie stood up as well._

_"Go," Bonnie said to Stefan, "Get her to the hospital. Elena and I will meet you there. Just go fast, Stefan."_

_He nodded sharply, looked Elena in the eye and said, "She's fine, I swear." Then he was gone and Elena and Bonnie were running through the woods again, getting back to the parking lot._

Elena snapped back into the present as Jeremy sat down next to her, pushing a hot cup of coffee in her hands. She lifted the cup to her mouth and drank some before turning to Jeremy. "Thank you."  
"You're welcome," he said, taking a sip out of his own. "Where's Jenna?" he asked.

"She said she was going to make some calls, probably to Mildred or Uncle Jack." Elena answered.

She took another sip of the steaming coffee, trying to get rid of the goose bumps she had, when Jeremy said, "Tell me what happened again." Elena swallowed hard, looking at her younger brother. She had relayed the cover up story she and Bonnie made up on their way here several times already.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because it doesn't make sense," Jeremy said. Elena eyed him, everyone else believed their story.

"Yes it does," she urged. "Nilly and Caroline got in to a fight. Nilly hit her and ran out of the dance. She started to walk home, when she must have tripped and fell, hitting her head. That's when Bonnie, Stefan and I had found her. Stefan put her in his car and drove her here with me and Bonnie following." Elena repeated. Still Jeremy didn't look 100% fooled. Damn stubborn Gilberts. "Those heels were big on her, she must have stepped in a crack on the sidewalk and fallen. We both know Nilly's not the stealthiest." She tried to lighten the mood, but Jeremy wasn't smiling.

"Why wouldn't she have gotten one of us to drive her home?" he asked.

"I don't know, Jer. You'll have to ask her when you go to see her."

Elena took another sip of her coffee as she waited, nerves hardening her stomach.

* * *

"So wait, let me get this straight," Nilly said. She was now sitting cross legged on her hospital bed, while Bonnie sat at the end with her feet dangling off. "That necklace I watched be destroyed was Emily's."

"Yep," Bonnie nodded.

"Your Grams, who's also a witch, told you it belonged to you now, that it had found you and to not let anyone have it. But someone was after it, right?"

Bonnie nodded again, "Right, I kept getting these dreams that were so real. Emily was trying to tell me something. She tried to warn me in the dreams, and I would wake up outside in the woods by the Fell's church completely freaked out."

"Who was after it? Was it the man I saw behind you?" Nilly asked, sitting up straighter. Bonnie stopped, she wanted to tell Nilly that it was Damon who was after the necklace and why, but Elena made her promise not to say a word about anything that had to do with the vampires in MysticFalls. Leaving Bonnie to dodge around certain questions and lie about others completely.

"We don't know who it was," Bonnie said, not telling the truth. Bonnie saw a flash of panic go through Nilly's eyes as she played with the edge of her blanket. Why would Nilly panic over that?, Bonnie wondered.

"And you said Elena has known about this for a while now." Nilly said, looking down at the blanket.

"Yeah, she was the first person I told," Bonnie answered.

"And she wanted to keep it from me?" Nilly asked, still looking down.

"She just wanted to protect you, Nilly. She truly thought it was better not to tell you," she said. Nilly shook her head, a strange expression on her face.

"What did it do?" Nilly asked suddenly. Bonnie stared at her confused.

"Wha-"

"Your necklace, the amulet. What did it do?" Nilly asked, snapping her head up and looking Bonnie straight in the eye.

"Um, Emily. She-she used the amber crystal as a key for lifting a spell." Bonnie tried to explain. "She connected it to the comet that passes over MysticFalls every 145 years. And as soon as the comet returned a few weeks ago, the crystal was empowered."

"What was it meant to unlock, Bonnie?" Nilly asked bluntly. She tried to figure out what to tell her. How can she be truthful to Nilly without telling her about vampires and the 26 that were trapped in that tomb? She couldn't, and Bonnie knew that Nilly had the right to know. Bonnie opened her mouth "It-"

"We don't know, we haven't figured it out yet." Bonnie shut her mouth, she didn't say that…

Her head turned towards the door with confusion. Elena stood there, her arms crossed over her chest. She walked over to Nilly and Bonnie, sitting down in the chair next to the bed. "Are you okay?" she asked. Nilly nodded, lifting her arm she said. "Just a little banged up and confused."

Elena smiled softly, "Well, like I said, we don't really know who wanted the necklace or what it did. Emily must have known though," she said. Nilly looked to Bonnie as if to confirm what Elena had said.

Bonnie swallowed and then nodded, "Elena's right, Emily was the one who destroyed it."

"Yeah and sent me flying back into a tree." Nilly said with a sigh, leaning her head back tenderly. She looked at Bonnie, her expression softening. "It's my fault I'm here, Bon. I went into the forest after you, I knew what I was doing. I just couldn't let you go in by yourself." Bonnie smiled, and leaned forward wrapping her arms around Nilly.

"You were protecting me," she said. Nilly laughed a little, showing she was still in pain.

"Of course I was," Nilly said as Bonnie let her go. "And I always will. That goes for you too," she said, turning her head to the side and looking at her cousin.

Elena smiled and stood up, "I'm going to find the doctor and see when we can get you out of here," she said, hugging Nilin before leaving the room.

* * *

Nilly laid in the dark hospital room, staring up at the ceiling. It had been several hours since Bonnie and her family had left. Nilly had to all but physically force them out, so they could go home and get some sleep. Dr. Fell had returned, like she said, and told them that she wanted to keep Nilly overnight, just in case.

So now she was alone in the room, moonlight shining through the window. The hospital was eerily silent at night, the only noise coming from the hallway outside her room. Scuffling of shoes as someone passed her door, the occasional ringing telephone at the nurse station, and someone's hushed conversation off in the distance. The door to her room was open, she was too tired to get up and close it. Plus she didn't really want to, she was already feeling lonely and closing the thick wooden door would only make it worse. So she traced the patterns of the tiles on the ceiling with her eyes instead.

Nilly's eyes burned and they began to fell heavy. Her knuckles were still sore, but the pain in the back of her head had gone away after the nurse came in with pain medication. Which apparently made her super drowsy but unable to sleep.

She rolled over to stare out the window, pulling her blanket around her. She was on the second floor of the hospital, and she could make out the outline of tree tops on the other side of the parking lot. She sighed, her eyelids drooping a little bit, and rolled on her back again.

That's when she noticed that the room had gotten darker. She looked in the direction of her door, it was shut now. She hadn't heard anyone close it though. Maybe one of the nurses thought she was sleeping and closed it. Maybe I am asleep, Nilly concluded, propping herself up on her elbows carefully.

Movement caught her eye, something had blocked out the moonlight coming from the window. Nilly turned her head towards the window, but nothing was there. She let out a breath and rested back on the bed, rubbing her eyes with her good hand. She was so tired, she was just seeing things. Either her brain was playing tricks on her eyes thanks to the concussion or she really was dreaming. Nilly wasn't sure which one.

"Hello, princess," said a silky voice at the foot of her bed. Nilly's head snapped up, a gasp escaping from her mouth. Damon stood at the foot of her bed, hands behind his back, dressed in all black and grinning.

"Damon," she breathed in relief and leaned her head back on the pillow. He walked over to the side of the hospital bed and peered down at her, a smile still on his face.

"You don't seem surprised," he said, pulling his eyebrows together.

"Well clearly I'm asleep, and apparently dreaming about you," Nilly explained to him, smiling.

"So you've dreamt about me. What makes you so sure this is a dream?" he asked, laughing a little. She thought for a moment.

"Not my fault you weasel your way into my subconscious," she confessed, turning her head towards him. "And it's a dream because visiting hours are from 3 to 8," she explained, laughing a little.

Damon chuckled too as he looked down at her. "Oh, is that so?"

"Well, yes." Nilin nodded languidly. "But honestly, it's a dream because why else would you be here right now," she said, "wasting your time on me."

She scooted over on the bed a little and patted the open space. He sat down on the side of her bed facing her, legs hanging off. This was a very realistic dream, she could feel the mattress move under his weight and she could even smell his cologne over the strange hospital aroma.

"It also doesn't help that they've doped me up on pain medication either," she laughed, shutting her eyes for a moment. "They make everything loopy."

"I needed to make sure you were okay," he said softly. Nilly opened her eyes to stare at him. She smiled but her smile was quickly replaced by a yawn.

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Strong like bull." Nilin chuckled quietly. His cool fingers brushed the bangs off her forehead gently. "Mm," she murmured. "That tickles." He laughed in the dark. "You know what's weird, Damon?"

"Enlighten me," he said.

"I'm exhausted. I've never been tired in a dream before. How strange…" she mumbled. "Why am I so tired?" she asked. He smirked at her.

"It's your body," he elaborated. "It knows that you're hurt and it's fixing itself. It does that best when you're asleep."

"Oh," she said, yawning again. This made him smile more but then she looked up at him, "Why are you so nice to me? Caroline said you're just using me. Is that true?" Nilly saw him pause for a moment, his smile disappearing, but then it returned.

He spoke smoothly, his voice the softest Nilly's ever heard it, "Don't listen to her, she jealous of you."

Nilly grinned a little in the dark, "Jealous? Ha. Don't make me laugh."

"Really," he said as he leaned down towards her and whispered, "Don't tell anyone but, she has a crush on me." Nilly laughed.

"Well, that explains this," Nilly said lifting her hurt hand. Damon trapped her hand in his and held it, examining it so lightly that she didn't even feel anything.

"I don't think you know how disappointed I am at the fact that I missed you punching her," he joked, taking her hand in both of his and placing them in his lap.

"Well, I do have a pretty wicked left hook. I can always reenact it for you."

Damon laughed again, "Let's wait until your right hand heals."

Nilly sighed, "Fine." She yawned again. "This is a nice dream, usually I just have nightmares," Nilly mumbled, her eyes drooping. Damon looked down at her, frowning a little.

"Nightmares?" he asked. "I hope I'm not in those ones."

"No," Nillin sighed. "Just him. Him finding me," she answered, struggling to keep her eyes open. She didn't want to shut them. She liked talking to Damon, but he was caressing her hair again, swiping her bangs back and making it extremely hard to stay awake.

"Who?" Nilly thought she heard Damon ask, but she was still mumbling.

"I don't want him to find me. I don't want him to…" She lost the battle with her eyes as they shut.

Then she heard Damon say close to her ear, "I won't let him." She felt his lips touch her forehead softly. "Goodnight, Nilin." She heard him say, but his voice was far away.

Then Nilly's dream seemed to fade out strangely, and she slept soundlessly for the rest of the night.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So, was it a dream or not? Hm...**  
**This was a long chapter. Thanks for reading, guys :) Chapter 10 will be up on Wednesday, not sure if I'm going to split that into one or two parts yet. Let me know what you want! Tell me what you guys think of Nilin's adventures so far. Favorite, Follow & Review!  
Thanks again,

RLS


	15. Chapter Ten: The Book Store- Part 1

**Chapter Ten: The Book Store- Part One  
**  
The next morning Nilly was startled awake by Jeremy shouting, "Wake up!" Her eyes snapped open to find him sitting on her hospital bed with clothes in his hands. "Jenna's signing the papers and then you're coming home," he explained.  
Nilly sat up and took the clothes from him, "Thanks," she said rubbing her eyes and taking a moment to figure out where she was again. The side-effects of the concussion hadn't fully worn off yet. Everything was still a little fuzzy. "Where's Elena?" Nilly asked.  
"With Jenna, I guess," he answered, checking his phone. Nilly got up out of bed slowly, she was still sore. Her neck and back still hurt, but overall it was a lot better than yesterday. Finally standing, she went into the bathroom to change out of her hospital gown. "Who are you texting?" she called from the bathroom to Jeremy.  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
"Who has you glued to your cell phone?" Nilly asked, walking out of the bathroom. She had a fresh pair of blue flannel shorts on and one of Elena's old cheerleading sweatshirts. She walked over to the bed and sat next to Jeremy. "Come on, what's her name?" she said, elbowing him.  
He sighed, "Her name's Anna." Nilly smiled at him, wiggling her eyebrows. "Oh stop that," he mumbled, pushing her away.  
"Well, I want to know all about her," she said, sliding off the hospital bed. "But first I want to get out of here as soon as we can and eat. I'm starving."  
"Of course, first thing on Nilin's mind is food," Jeremy muttered. Nilly eyed him before promptly kicking his shin. "Ow!" he yelped.  
"Just remember I might have a hurt hand, but my feet are just fine." Nilin said and before her little cousin could complain anymore Jenna showed up in the doorway, "You ready to go, hon?"  
A nurse came in explaining side-effects Jenna should look out for do to the concussion and how she should check up on Nilly every so often for the next 24 hours. These side effects, which included loss of appetite, vomiting, server chills, fatigue, repeated loss of consciousness and short term memory loss leading up to the injury, were all known as post-concussion syndrome… and after that part Nilin tuned out the conversation and started daydreaming.  
She didn't snap out of her daydream until the nurse started asking Nilin about her hand. You know, the standard, "Does this hurt when I touch it? How about this?" That went on until the nurse rewrapped Nilly's bruised knuckles and prescribed her some pills for the discomfort.  
Finally, Nilly was released from the hospital and able to go home. Jeremy and Nilly followed Jenna out of the hospital and into her car where they found Elena already sitting in the passenger's seat quietly. Nilly slid into the back with Jeremy and leaned her head on his shoulder as they drove home.  
The car ride was silent. Nilly knew Elena wanted to talk to her, but was waiting for them to be alone. See, the problem was that Nilly didn't want to talk to Elena at the moment. She knew what Elena would have to say. She knew Elena would ask questions that Nilly didn't want to answer and she knew that the fingers would be pointed at her.  
Just the thought of it was giving Nilly a headache. She meant to close her eyes for only a moment, but the next thing she knew they were pulling up to the house.  
Nilly got out sluggishly and went straight to her bed. She didn't sleep, she couldn't. Too many things were going through her head. So she laid there with the radio playing on low, because any louder and it made her head pound. Jenna brought her some food at one point and Nilly ate it slowly. She spent the rest of the day in bed, Elena never talked to her.  
Mostly, because every time her door would open she'd shut her eyes and pretend to be asleep. It worked because she was left alone the entire day.  
Nilly laid there, thinking. She remembered everything, now. Caroline's words were burned into her brain. Even though she tried not to dwell on it, she couldn't help it. They _scorched_ her. She attempted to think of something else, but every time she did her thoughts wandered to last night.  
She thought she had had a dream last night. Her memory of it was all hazy, like a dream, but it seemed so real. It had to be a dream though, but for some reason she couldn't shake them feeling that it wasn't. Her thoughts once again began to drift, this time to Damon. Damon, who had starred in her strange, doped up dream… Nilly shook her head and tried to blow the whole thing off, blaming it on the concussion.  
Something was going on though and she knew it. She knew Damon was keeping things from her and clearly Bonnie and Elena had been too, but who else? Stefan? Tyler? Jenna? She had the feeling that something was off ever since she set foot back into Mystic Falls. Nilin thought Bonnie telling her that she was a witch would get rid of the hunch, but it didn't. If anything it certified that something was going on in her home town, but again Nilly came up blank with what it could be.  
When her theories began to sound crazier than usual, Nilly took a couple pills Dr. Fells had proscribed to her to dull the pain and help her sleep. She then spent the night in a restless sleep.  
Her dreams we're blurry and confusing. People's faces popping up here and there. Clouds of smoke and most of the time she was in that meadow again. None of it made any sense and somewhat freaked her out. So when she woke up early the next day, the first thing she did was throw the doctor's pills in the trashcan.  
The house was silent as Nilly got out of bed and quietly showered. Letting the water run until it was cold, then she dressed quickly. She pulled her hair in a bun, ignoring the fly-a-ways that escaped from it, grabbed her keys and left the house. Nilly didn't want to talk to anyone, her thoughts were still scrambled. All she wanted was a quiet place where she didn't have to think.  
Getting in her car she drove into town and parked outside a small book store. It had been there for years. It was a small nook in the wall that her mother had taken her to when she was younger. It was old but warm looking with dark brick walls and a large window in the front of the store. The window was filled with stacks of old books and the wooded sign above the door read 'Reader & Seethe Books'.  
Nilly pushed open the front door, setting off the little chime of a bell above it and stepped inside. The inside of the store was cozy. Shelves and shelves of books lined against the walls and stacked in corners. In the left front corner of the room sat a small wooden counter, an old rusty looking cash register and a pile of books were placed on top of it. Nilly noticed someone behind the counter, sitting on a stool with their nose stuck in a book.  
She walked up to it and said, "Hi, there." The person stuck a finger out, telling her to wait and flipped the page of the book. Nilly backed away a little and waited, then the person slammed the book down.  
"Done." announced the girl behind the counter with a triumphant grin. "Sorry about that," she continued, smiling at Nilly. "I was at the end of the book. Too good to put it down, you know what I mean?" she winked. Nilly smiled at the girl, she was very eccentric.  
"Oh don't worry. I understand," Nilly said.  
The girl laughed, "I'm Michelle, but you can call me Shellie."  
"Nilly, nice to meet you." Nilly greeted, nodding her head.  
Shellie looked to be around Nilin's age. She had the long brown hair that went all the way down her back. It started as a dark brown at her scalp but the longer it got the blonder it got. It faded, going to the end of her tips, which were the blondest. It hung around her face lightly and highlighted her sharp features.  
She had dark eye shadow on and lined her eyes with black eyeliner. Her eyes were a beautiful color, swirls of green and brown. She had a black headband that went across her forehead, matching the black jacket she had on. Under the jacket she had a simple pink colored shirt, with black butterflies across it. They got smaller the closer they reached her shoulder, until they disappeared.  
Nilly looked back up at the girl, "That's an adorable shirt." Shellie, who had her elbows leaning forward on the counter, straightened up and looked down at her shirt.  
She blushed slightly, "Oh thank you. I made it myself. I kinda have a fascination with butterflies."  
"Really, well I wouldn't have known you made it." Nilly said.  
Shellie looked down smiling, wrinkling her nose. "Thank you," she said again. Then she looked up and asked, "What can I help you with? Anything you're looking for?"  
"Well, do you have any old classics around?" Nilly asked, leaning her arm on the counter. Shellie smiled, and hopped off the stool, revealing that she was a little shorter than Nilly.  
"Follow me, they're upstairs," she said, almost skipping to the staircase. Nilly followed her to the back of the store and up the steps. They groaned under their feet as they went up.  
The second floor of the shop had that same cozy feeling to it. In the far corner of the room there were two long sofas, mix matched and patched up all over the place. A tall reading lamp sat between them and old books were piled on the floor on the side of the couches. There was a large triangular window that took up most of the wall that was right above the front entrance. The window was lined with more books and most of the light filtered in from it.  
Staring at the books, Nilly noticed someone by one of the shelves in the corner. She followed Shellie up to the girl. "Hey Mags, meet Nilly," Shellie said.  
The girl turned around and Nilly looked her over. She was very pretty and had the strangest features about her that all seemed to work. Her dark brown hair was braided to the side and hung over her shoulder. The tips of her hair were dyed a deep scarlet red, and she had a streak of the same color running down the front. Her eyes were mesmerizing, they looked almost yellow, like honey. They reminded Nilly of an animal's eyes at night. Her arms were crossed over her chest. She was wearing a simple green and blue flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up, with a teal tank top underneath. Her Bermuda- shorts were ripped and went to right above her knee. Nilly noticed a tattoo on her leg. It was something written in Latin or something, Nilin wasn't sure.  
She held out her hand, "Nilin, but just call me Nilly."  
"Magnolia," she said, shaking Nilly's hand.  
"Are you two related?" Nilly asked, gesturing between the two girls. They looked at each other and then back at Nilly. "Sadly," Magnolia said walking over to another bookshelf.  
Shellie rolled her eyes, "We're cousins."  
"With the displeasure of getting stuck with the same shift," Magnolia called over her shoulder. Nilly laughed, they reminded her of Jeremy and herself with their mocking humor.  
As Shellie had walked over to Magnolia and made some sarcastic comment about something, Nilly went over to a book self and squatted down. She went to reach for a book when she heard a low growl next to her. She pivoted her feet slowly turning around and gasped. There was a dog, teeth barred and fur lifted, not more than five inches from her face. Nilly backed up a little, bumping into the book shelf. The dog growled again, and stepped towards her.  
"Lee-Roy!" Magnolia yelled from the other side of the room, "Heal." Lee-Roy's head dropped and he walked over to her. He sat down at her feet and looked up, she rubbed his head.  
"Sorry about that, he doesn't like his books touched," she said smiling. Nilly stood up, feeling the pain in the base of her neck for the first time today. She almost regretted throwing the medication away, but they had given her such disturbing dreams that it wasn't worth it.  
"It's okay," she said. Nilly walked up to Magnolia and Lee-Roy, her bandaged hand held out. He sniffed it and then with a low wine, bowed his head allowing Nilly to pet him. "What kind of dog is he?" she asked, looking up at Magnolia who was a good six inches taller than her.  
"He's a mix, mostly Husky though. I've had him since he was a puppy," she said, scratching Lee-Roy's ear. He looked up at her and wined again.  
Just then, Shellie returned a book in her hand. "Try this," she said. "It's has a bunch of old poems about myths and legends. I think you'll like it." Shellie smiled, handing the book to Nilin. "Though I don't know if you'll be doing much reading with a concussion," she continued, the expression on her face strange.  
This made Nilin pause. "How'd you know I have a concussion?" she asked. "Are you a med student or something?" she asked skeptically, looking over the young girl.  
"Or something," was all Shellie said, still grinning.  
Nilly looked over the book, before looking back up at the two girls. "Uh, yeah this is what I was looking for. Thank you," she said quickly. "How much?"  
"Come downstairs, I'll check you out." Magnolia told her, starting for the stairs with Lee-Roy following. Nilly trailed behind them, she stood at the counter while Magnolia punched numbers into the cash register.  
"Seven dollars and ninety-nine cents," she read as Nilly placed the book on the counter. She turned to pull her wallet out of her bag when someone caught her eye. There, standing on the sidewalk across the street from the bookstore with one hand behind his back as he waved at her with the other, was Damon. Smirking at her, his black eyes caught hers. Nilly's cheeks got red as she jerked her head back quickly, she turned back to Magnolia. "Here you go, sorry about that," she said, handing her the money.  
"Damon Salvatore, huh?" Shellie winked, leaning on the staircase banister.  
"Yeah, I know his brother," Nilly explained quickly, and looked down.  
"Huh, interesting." Shellie mused.  
"Yeah, well I should get going…" Nilly looked back out the window timidly, the sidewalk was empty now. She looked up again, "Um, on second thought do you mind if I hang out here for a little?" she asked.  
"Sure." Magnolia said with a strange smile.

* * *

Damon strolled through the town causally, meandering his way along the side walk to the Mystic Grill. He hadn't meant to stop in front of that bookstore, he'd barley noticed it in the past, but something had made him. Sure enough, through the front window, he saw her dark brown hair wrapped in a bun and a quick sight of her blue eyes. He put on his most charming smile and waved to Nilly. With his vision, from across the street he could see the blood rush to her cheeks as she ducked away meekly.

It made him laugh at how adorable she was.  
For some reason he couldn't get the image of her yawning out of his head. The way her eyelids had sagged with sleep and her lip curled softly in a smile made her look younger. She had reminded him of what pure innocence looked like, something he hadn't seen in a while. But he knew she wasn't completely innocent, he could sense that about her even in her dreamy state. He knew that if he went poking around he'd find skeletons in her closet.  
Still it was strange that he could sense her presence in the store and pick it out aside from everyone else buzzing around the town. He continued to walk, finished with having his fun. There was something about Nilly that kept her on his mind. She is a very unique girl, Damon smiled to himself. He could almost put off his plan to rescue Katherine from the tomb, as long as Nilly was there to entertain him. But he had to keep moving, he needed a new plan now.  
The witch had destroyed the amulet, the only known key to opening the tomb. Now it was gone and Damon was at another dead end. He was about to kill Bonnie in the woods the other night, one simple jerk of the head and she'd be dead. The only thing that had stopped him was the glance he saw of Nilly's body on the ground like a rag doll. It froze him in time and then all he wanted was to get out of there. Which he did, of course, leaving his brother and the humans to take care of it.  
He needed to find out another way to open that damn tomb, the only way to do that was to talk to a witch. But he had a feeling Bonnie wasn't up for chatting with him. So, now he needed to find another witch, one with enough knowledge to help him.  
Damon walked into the Grill and sat down at one of the stools at the bar. "What can I get for you?" said the perky blonde bartender. He flashed her a smile, "Just a bourbon, please."  
She smiled at him, clearly intrigued. "Isn't it a little early for something that strong?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. Damon's eyes flashed to the clock behind her head. Twelve o'clock, this is late for him.  
"It's never too early," he said, winking at her. The bartender giggled as she handed him his glass. "Thank you very much, Brandie," he said reading her name tag. More giggling form her and few more witty comments from him and his lunch plans were set.  
_This town makes it too easy_, he thought to himself. She was sort of cute, though blondes weren't really his type. He hoped he wouldn't kill her, but who knows he hadn't fed in a while.  
"My shift ends in a few minutes," Brandie said. His jaw ached slightly as he ran his tongue over his canines, which were beginning to sharpen. "Perfect," he replied, flashing her another dazzling smile.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
This chapter was a lot longer than I realized so I split into two parts. I don't usually posted on Thursedays but since tomorrow is the 4th of July I'll post Part Two for you guys. Tell me what you think of Magnolia and Shellie. Very intresting girls, right? Anyway, thanks for reading :) Favorite, Follow & Review!  
And for those celebrating the 4th of July tomorrow, have a fabulous Independenc Day! :D  
RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url

Nillin:

/chapter_ten_part_nilin/set?id=90417364

Shellie:

/chapter_ten_shellie/set?id=90381715

Magnolia:

/chapter_ten_mags/set?id=90393856


	16. Chapter Ten: The Book Store- Part 2

**Chapter Ten: The Book Store- Part 2**

Nilly had spent most of the day in the book store. Not many people came in, which allowed Nilly to talk with Magnolia and Shellie. Nilly followed Shellie as she rambled about which entomology books she'd recommend, pulling out her favorites which mostly contained butterflies. Meanwhile, Magnolia made jokes about how abnormal it was for her to play with dead bugs.  
Nilly found it fascinating though, the fact that there were so many different kinds and how people spend their entire lives looking for them. She wouldn't mind a job like that, secluded in some Brazilian rainforest working with butterflies all day.  
Magnolia new a lot about books, she could tell you specific quotes from books she read months ago. Pick a genre and she'd tell you her favorite books in it. She could rattle off author's names and tell you exactly where they were in the store. It was pretty impressive. Nilly ran her fingers along the spine of the book she was holding. "I better get going," she said to them. "Thanks for letting me hang out here."  
"No burden on us, you can come back anytime." Magnolia said.  
"Besides, sometimes you just don't want to go home. We get it." Shellie commented, coming up next to Magnolia. Nilly stared at her, questionably.  
How did they know she was avoiding going home and talking to Elena? She hadn't said a word to them about it. Nilly just smile at them and said 'Goodbye' as she left the store, and hopped into her Jeep. That had been a little strange. There was something up with those two but she wasn't really focused on it at the moment. Her brain was preparing itself for the conversation she was about to have when she got back to the house and back to a questioning Elena.  
Nilly had an idea on how to prolong their inevitable talk though. She stopped to pick up a few things and made a few calls. Then she was ready to head home.  
She walked in the door juggling three brow bags full of groceries. When she sat them on the counter Jenna asked, "What's all that for?"  
"I thought I'd make dinner for everyone and, if it's okay with you, invite some people over?" Nilly said, pouting her lip and batting her eyes. Jenna laughed at her, "Sure, I actually had a date tonight, though."  
Nilly eyebrows lifted as she hoisted herself on top of the counter, dangling her legs, "With who?" she asked.  
"New history teacher," Jeremy said walking into the kitchen. Jenna's eyes shot a warning sign at him.  
"Really? A teacher, go Jenna." Nilly said laughing, "Go out tonight, I'll save you the left overs."  
"Are you sure?" she asked meekly.  
"Positive." Nilly said.  
"Who were you thinking of inviting?" Jeremy asked.  
"Not a lot. Just Bonnie, Matt, Tyler and Stefan. I haven't seen Stefan since the dance and I wanted to thank him for helping me out. You can invite that Anna girl, if you want, too," she said. Jeremy ducked his head, and Nilly wonder if he was blushing.

"I'll ask," he said as he pushed off the counter, leaving the kitchen.

Nilly and Jenna looked at each other and laughed. Still chuckling, she pointed at Jenna, "You go get ready for your date, I have to start cooking," Nilly said.  
"Fine." Jenna said going up stairs. Nilly turned around unpacking the groceries and laying them on the counter. Humming to herself, she pulled out pots and pans.  
"What are we having?" she heard Elena ask behind her. Nilly sighed, releasing an inner groan.

She didn't turn around when she answered, "I thought I'd make Italian. You can invite Stefan over too, if you want? I'd like to thank him, anyway."  
"Yeah, he was already coming over." Elena said. There was a pause as Nilly focused on cutting up tomatoes. "I know you've been avoiding me all day," Elena said finally. "I just want to know what was going through your mind, Nilly."  
Nilly put the knife down and braced her hands on the counter. "At what point of the night, Elena?" Nilly asked.  
"You know what point," she answered. Nilly turned around and looked at her cousin.  
"I was stuck in a crowd of people, I started panicking a little. He helped me get outside and asked if I was alright. I was close to having another attack, Elena. I was going to leave when he asked me to dance."  
"Nilly, what did I tell you though? You should have said no. I asked you to stay away from him. He's a bad person," she said.  
Nilly shook her head. "I didn't see the harm in it, a public place, packed with people who were already staring at me. I was confident nothing bad was going to happen. Besides, I like talking to him, he's sweet to me," she said.  
"That's an act, he's not really like that. He's dang-"  
"He's dangerous, yeah I get it." Nilly said, cutting Elena off. Nilly felt a little offended by Elena's words. It was the same thing Caroline had said to her. That all Damon was doing was pretending with her, she clenched her jaw. "I can take care of myself Elena, I know you're just trying to look after me but I've been doing that on my own for a while now."  
"I just don't want to see you get hurt," she said. Nilly almost laughed.  
"I already got hurt, and it wasn't because of Damon," she said. Elena paused, her mouth opened as if to say something, but then she closed it. Nilly turned back around and started chopping up the garlic. "Would you like to help?" Nilly asked.  
"Of course," she said. They had said what they needed to and saving the rest for another time. The tension was blown over as Elena started setting the table.  
As Nilly went to boil the noodles she felt Elena's arms go around her. Nilly turned around and hugged her tighter, "I love you, kid," she said. Elena laughed against her shoulder.  
Just then Jenna came down, wearing a very hot navy blue dress. "How do I look?" she asked, posing in the door way.  
"Amazing," Elena said.  
Nilly smiled and crossed her arms over her chest, she nodded to Elena, "What she said."  
Jenna laughed then asked, "What should I do with my hair?" She motioned to her auburn hair that hung around her shoulders as she pulled it up.  
"Sexy stewardess," Nilly said. Then Jenna laid her hair down again.  
"Or Boozy housewife," Elena said smirking.  
"Up it is then," Jena said laughing. "You two are in good mood," she said. Nilly and Elena looked at each other and shrugged.  
"Guess so," Elena said. Nilin just shrugged.  
Jenna eyed them suspiciously then looked at her watch, "Crap, I'm late. I'll be back later, okay?" she said, grabbing her purse. "Love you guys," she yelled scurrying out the door.  
"Love you," Nilly and Elena called after her simultaneously as she heard the front door close.  
Elena turned to her, "Why don't you get ready I'll keep an eye on everything."  
"Sure," Nilly smiled. She bounced up the steps to her room. She went passed Jeremy's room and saw his door open. She popped her head in. "Is your friend coming?" Nilly asked.  
He was sitting at the desk in his room, sketching something. He looked up to answer her. "No, she said she couldn't make it tonight." Jeremy said.  
"Awe, well next time then," she said, winking at him. Jeremy just rolled his eyes at her but laughed anyway. Nilin went into her room, closing the door behind her. She straightened out her bangs on her forehead and braided the rest of her hair in a French braid down her back. She pulled on a black lace tank top and dark red cropped shorts. She put in black studded earrings and fixed the chain on her bracelet then headed downstairs.  
A few hours later, everyone was there. Tyler and Matt were sitting on the couch, talking about summer training for football, and Elena and Bonnie were putting finishing touches on the table in the dining room. Nilly stood in the kitchen mixing the sauce and pulling garlic bread out of the oven. "Smells great," someone said behind her. Nilly jumped, and gasped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," Stefan said, leaning in the kitchen door way.  
"It's okay," Nilly said, "I spook easily." Stefan laughed and walked over to the island, resting his elbows on it.  
"Elena said you wanted to talk to me," he explained, smiling at her. Nilly notice his eyes, they were a deep green color, so unlike Damon's. She shook her head, trying to get Damon out of it.  
"Yeah, I did." Nilly said. "I wanted to thank you. Elena told me you went looking for me in the woods and carried me out, and well… First, I'm really sorry you had to do that," she laughed. "And second, I just wanted to say thank you."  
Stefan smiled softly, "Your welcome Nilly. I just wanted to make sure you were safe." She could see what Elena liked about him. This Salvatore brother was sweet and very charming.  
"Yeah, I tend to get myself into messes," she said looking down.  
"Elena might have mentioned that once or twice," he chuckled. Nilly smiled and walked over to the island to stand across from him.  
"I bet she did," Nilin shook her head. "She tries to be the over protective cousin, but I already claimed that title."  
That got Stefan to grin. "She's really happy you're here. I've seen the difference in her," he told Nilly. "Elena's just doing her best at watching over you."  
"Well," Nilly said, pushing off the island, "she has her work cut out for her."  
"She has help, don't worry." Stefan said, pushing off the island as well. Nilin smiled again.  
"One more thing Stefan," Nilly said.  
"Yes?" he asked  
"Why-" she was going to ask why they thought Damon was so dangerous, when she realized he'd only tell her what Elena would. Nilly knew there was more to it, so instead she said, "Could you take these out to Elena and Bonnie, please?"  
"Of course," he said taking the bowls from her and leaving the room. Nilly stood there leaning her back on the kitchen counter, thoughts scrambling.  
The timer on the oven went off, making her jump and snapping her back into reality. She pulled the last dish out of the oven. Chicken Parmesan with a basil tomato sauce, it was her mother's recipe. She set it on the counter as Elena walked in.  
"If they want, they can come to the table and start eating. This is almost done." Nilly said.  
"I'll tell them," Elena said she went to leave, when she stopped in the doorway and turned around, "Everything looks amazing, Nil. This was a good idea."  
"Thanks," Nilly said smiling. Then Elena left, she could heard the guys get up, all rowdy and starving, Bonnie making a joke about something and Elena's laughter. She smiled to herself, all her friends under one roof, smiling and laughing. It made Nilly feel good and erased all the hell she had gone through the past few days.  
She put the final touches on the chicken and carried it out to the dining room. She got 'woops' and an applause as she set it down on the table. Nilly smiled and rolled her eyes at them, then she noticed someone missing.  
"Did you tell Jeremy that the food is done?" she called to Elena.  
She shook her head and said back, "I think he's still in his room, want me to get him?"  
"No, I'll get it," Nilly said, "Start eating guys. Monja, monja." She left the room and walked up stairs to Jeremy's door. "Knock, knock," she said, leaning on the door frame. Jeremy was still at his desk, but now he was staring at an old journal.  
"What's that?" Nilly asked walking up behind him and looking over his shoulder. Jeremy looked up at Nilly. "I found it in a box of my dad's stuff, it's an old Jonathan Gilbert journal. The man was a wack-job."  
"You mean one of our ancestors who lived here during the 1800's?" Nilly asked.  
"Yeah, he went crazy the last few years of his life. He rambled on about vampires and demons. Pretty strange stuff," he explained.  
"Interesting," Nilly said, flipping a page of the journal. "Do you mind if I take a look at this later?"  
"Sure, go head." Jeremy answered.  
Nilly smiled, "Great, now come downstairs and eat before everything's gone. They're savages," she laughed, causing Jeremy to chuckle.  
She followed Jeremy out of his room and down the hallway when she heard someone knocking on the front door. She was half way down the stairs to get it when Elena came out of the dining room and opened the door. Nilly stopped on the last step, stunned.  
"Surprise," Nilly heard Caroline's voice from the door way. "Bonnie said you were doing dinner, so we brought desert."  
Nilly's mind was racing. Her first thought was, what in the right mind would make Caroline think it was okay to come here? And Nilly's second thought was, she said 'we'. 'We' who?  
She craned her neck, trying to see around Elena, who seemed as stunned as Nilin.  
"Hope you don't mind," said a cool velvet voice. Nilly's heart sped up.  
Caroline stepped around Elena, into the house. She caught Nilly's eye, and glared at her. Nilly felt a smile come to her lips. Not enough cover up in the world could hide the yellowing swollen bruise under Caroline's eye. She gave Nilly a death stare and then stalked off into the kitchen with her cake. Nilly stepped down from the stairs, making her way to the front door.  
Suddenly Stefan was behind Elena, "What are you doing here?" he asked his brother.  
Nilly walked up next to Elena, crossing her arms over her chest. "Waiting to be invited in," Damon said, smiling.  
"Oh. Yeah, sure. You-" Nilly was saying when Stefan cut her off.  
"No, he can't stay. Can you, Damon?" he turned to Damon. Nilly stared at him confused and then looked at Elena.  
Caroline's sudden voice behind Nilly made her cringe, "Of course he can, get in here." Nilly rubbed her head with her good hand. Whether from the concussion or not, her thoughts were completely scrambled.  
"We were just finishing up," Stefan said.  
"We were?" Nilly asked, eyeing Stefan. She hadn't even eaten yet.  
Elena looked between Stefan, Damon and Nilly. "Um, it's fine. Just come on in," she said coldly and stepped back. A smirk came to Damon's face as he stepped over the threshold of the door, passing Nilly and Stefan. He was following Caroline to the kitchen when he stopped and turned around.  
"Nice to see you again, Nilly," he said, smiling at her and continuing to walk into the kitchen.  
Elena and Stefan turned with confused eyes and met Nilly's red cheeks.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Like promised, Part Two of Chapter 10! Stuff is about to get get crazy with the next few chapters. Some secrets are going to leak out. Stick around to find out.

Thanks for reading guys. Happy 4th of July :D

Favorite, Follow & Review!

RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore Dot com and attach the following to the end of the url

Nilin:

/chapter_ten_part_two_nilin/set?id=90419446

Jenna:

/chapter_ten_jenna/set?id=90418550


	17. Chapter Eleven: The Phone Call

**Chapter Eleven: The Phone Call**

Nilly stood at the sink, scrubbing a plate furiously. Dinner had gone fabulous, if you ignored the obvious tension in the room and the lame attempts to lighten the mood. Everyone had enjoyed Nilly's cooking, except Caroline of course. Apparently she doesn't eat meat anymore. She had made that announcement to everyone when Nilly sat the chicken parmesan in front of her. With the grace of a good hostess and a very strained smile, Nilly lifted the plate away from her and stuck a salad in its place.

Nilly ended up sitting down at the head of the table, right across from Damon. Caroline was at his side, flirting and joking with him. She was trying to get his attention, but his eyes stayed glued to Nilly.

At first she tried to keep her head down and ignore him. She tried talking to Tyler and Bonnie who were on either side of her, but she could feel his eyes on her as they ate. Finally, Nilly lifted her eyes up to him and glared, he just grinned at her. With a strained expression, she stood up quickly, taking her plate and glass into the kitchen.

That's where she had been ever since, cleaning dishes and wrapping leftovers. She rubbed her eye with her hand. Nilin cursed under her breath when she felt the dull stinging pain in her knuckles, forgetting about her injury.

She was running on little sleep and her emotions were high. She wanted to cry or scream… or both, she didn't know anymore. But she couldn't, that would be giving in. So instead she tried to sort things out in her mind. It was a technique her father told her to do when things got difficult. So she can process, accept and move on, he'd always say.

The night was almost over, everyone was chatting happily in the dinning room with full stomachs, finishing off the rest of the cake Caroline had brought. There's where the first problem lied.

Caroline was in her house, laughing and talking in the other room. Nilly guessed she could deal with that, Caroline was just an irritation now.

Problem number two, and what was really bothering Nilly, was the fact that Caroline came with Damon. She felt almost betrayed, but then in the next instance she felt completely dumb.

She should have seen this coming, but Damon had blinded her. Caroline and Elena's words ran through her head. He was just messing with her, using her for some reason Nilly couldn't figure out. She kept getting unfocused flashes of the dream she had while in the hospital. From the parts she remembered of the dream, it made her feel as if Damon should be on her side.

Nilin had to keep reminding herself it was just a dream. None of it was real, and Damon was with Caroline in the other room now. Process, accept and move on. Done.

She had heard Matt and Tyler leave a little ago. Jeremy had probably retreated back into his room, which left Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Caroline and Elena. Nilin could hear them all in the living room now, talking. Nilly remained in the kitchen alone.

She rinsed off the plate in her hands, placed it in the dishwasher and then blew the bangs out of her face. She reached in the sink and pulled the drain, watching the sudsy water circle around and empty out.

"One more," she heard Damon say walking into the kitchen. Snapping back into reality, Nilly turned around to see him smiling, holding a glass out in front of him.

"Thank you," she said plainly. Nilly went to reach for the cup, but it slipped before her finger tips could even grasp it. She saw it falling to the ground, and expected to hear glass shattering, but it didn't. Somehow, Damon had managed to catch it mid-fall. He held it between them again, a smile on his face. Nilly took the glass from him. "Nice save," she said smiling slightly and placing it in the sink.

She began rinsing the cup out, when Damon leaned against the counter next to her. "I like you, Nilly," he said, her stomach filled with butterflies instantly. "You know how to smile," he continued. She didn't look up at him as she placed the cup in the dishwasher. "But you haven't smiled much today," he finished, closing the dishwasher for her. She heard it hum to life as she looked at the floor.

"Well, I haven't had a lot of reasons to, lately." Nilly said, her voice sounding sharper than she intended it to.

"Why? Because of you're little fight with Caroline?" he asked, her eyes snapped up at him. "Yeah, I heard about that," he smirked.

"I'm sure everyone's heard about it," she said.. With her back towards his she walked over to the island and began to fold the clothe dinner napkins. He walked up next to her and grabbed a napkin too.

"Besides," Nilly continued, "I'm passed that. I don't have enough emotion left to dwell on it." She focused on creasing the napkin, being gentle with her sore hand.

"Well, what can I do to make you smile?" Damon asked, leaning his elbow on the counter. Nilly looked up at him, staring straight into his midnight eyes. Damon went to close in on her, but she put her hand on his chest and stopped him. "Oh come on, Nilin."

"We kissed once, Damon. It's not going to happen again," she said, pushing him back a little.

"And why's that?" he asked, not budging an inch.

"I think it was a mistake," she answered him. He huffed, but smirked at her.

"How about you tell me how you really feel, Nilin?"

"Well, I feel that you should stop screwing with me," she snapped. The grin dropped on Damon's face as he finally took a step back. "You can just be honest with me. It feels like the moment that I got here, everyone's been nothing but fake with me. And I don't know if I can handle it if you were being fake too."

She stared at him, her hands balled up as fist under the counter. "What brought this on?" Damon asked, almost grinning.

She could have slapped him right there but instead she answered, "Multiple people have told me you were nothing but bad, that you didn't really care about me, that you were using me. I choose not to believe them, Damon." Nilly thought she saw something in his eyes, so she kept going. "I didn't listen to them, because I thought maybe they were wrong. But then you show up here, with Caroline glued to you and I feel stupid. Like you screwed me over Damon and I kind of hurts. So I'm sorry I didn't smile tonight or kiss you or acknowledge your presence, I didn't feel like it."

Nilly stood up and walked over to the refrigerator, placing the leftovers in there. She closed the fridge and gasped, Damon was standing right next to her. She hadn't heard him move, but suddenly he was inches away from her. She tried to back up, but found herself against the counter, so instead she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You don't honestly think I care about Caroline, do you?" Damon asked.

Nilly laughed, "Well, you better tell her that, because clearly she thinks you do." She went to move away but her grabbed her wrist.

"Just listen to me," he said, getting closer to her, his black eye's shinning. "I don't, I don't really care for anyone in this town. Well except you, for some reason I care about you so I'm going to explain something to you." He let go of her wrist and tilted up her chin, so she'd look him in the eye, "You can't say a word to anyone about it though."

"Fine," Nilly said, pulling her chin away and stepping around Damon. She sat down on one of the stools at the island. Damon came over, and sat at the end.

He grinned a little and raised his eyebrows. "I'm looking for someone here," he said. "And I think there are people in this town that can help me fine her."

"Who are you looking for?" Nilly asked.

Damon smiled, "Her name is Katherine. I knew her a long time ago, something had happened back then and long story short I thought I lost her, but I know where she is now."

Nilly almost laughed again. Of course, he was looking for another girl. Nilly hated the fact that she could feel the jealousy build up insider her.

"I needed Caroline to help me get information, that's all." Damon continued. She shook her head, even if it was Caroline, she knew it was wrong to use someone like that.

"Where do I come in?" she asked. He smiled at her and laid his hands on the counter.

"That's the thing, you don't Nilin. You were never apart of my plan." Damon said. She wanted to believe him, but she couldn't. She knew she didn't need other people messing with her life when she was trying to build it back up. Nilly stood up and twisted the chain on her bracelet around.

"I'm sorry Damon," she said, backing towards the door.

"Wait, Nilin- " Damon went to stop her, but she kept talking.

"But I can't. I hope you find her, I really do, but I just don't want to get hurt anymore." Nilly looked him in the eye, before she left the kitchen.

Elena had been in the living room, sitting next to Stefan with a warm cup of tea in her hands. They were listening to Caroline talk, when Nilly walked in. She came in quietly and sunk down on the other couch with Bonnie, leaning her head on Bonnie's shoulder. Elena could see Nilly's eyes droop a little.

"You feeling okay, Nilly?" she asked, apparently interrupting Caroline, because Elena heard a huff of annoyance from her. Nilly looked up and smiled softly.

"Yeah, just tired," she said, laying her head back down. "You know, being concussed and all." Bonnie and Elena laughed a little as Caroline start talking again, "As I was saying…"

"Where's, uh, Damon?" Stefan asked, next to Elena.

Nilly looked up again and shrugged. "He was in the kitchen with me." Just as she said that Elena caught movement in the corner of her eye as Damon came in and sat next to Caroline, who smiled at him. Elena saw her shoot Nilly a dirty glare and then turned back to Damon, but Nilly hadn't seemed to notice either of them. She still had her head on Bonnie's shoulder.

"Elena's just going through a rut," she heard Caroline say. Elena turned her attention back on Caroline. "She used to be way more fun," Caroline continued. Elena looked at her, slightly offended. She saw Caroline glance around the room, "And I mean that in the most sincere way." Elena noticed Nilly roll her eyes in Caroline's direction, it almost made her laugh.

"Don't worry Elena," Damon said. "I know what it's like to lose someone, I mean Stefan and I have practically watched everyone we care about die." Elena stared at him, almost empathetic as she wrapped her fingers around Stefan's hand.

"We don't need to bring that up." Stefan said coldly.

"Right, wouldn't want to mention her." Damon replied, staring at Stefan in a strange way. She knew who they were talking about, Katherine. Stefan had told Elena about Katherine a while ago. They had thought she had died back in 1864, but apparently that wasn't true at all. Elena knew Damon was bringing her up just to get under Stefan's skin. Clearly, it was working.

Just then Nilly stood up, Elena went to look at her. "I think I'm just going to go upstairs," she said. "Goodnight guys."

Nilly began walking towards the stairs when the phone rang. Elena watched Nilly reach for the telephone and answer it.

"Hello?" she said leaning on the wall. "Yeah, it's Nilly. What's wrong Mildred?" Elena's head snapped up and so did Bonnie's. Nilly was pacing now, her head down.

"Is he okay though?" she asked into the phone. She let out a breath and shook her head. "It's not your fault, Mil. No, its okay."

Elena knew immediately who they were talking about, her uncle, Nilly's father. Elena got up quickly and walked over to Nilly who was leaning on the wall again. "How long has he been out?" Nilly asked. There was another pause, Nilly shook her head again. Elena put her hand on Nilly shoulder, Nilly looked up at her and said into the phone, "I'll leave now, I should be there by morning."

Nilly hung up the phone, her hands shaking a little. The room had gotten quite, and she knew Elena was behind her. Nilly took a deep breath, "It's my dad. He must've blacked out. Mildred found him and took him to the hospital." She turned around to Elena, whose face held concern. "I have to go check on him, I'll be back though. I promise, I'll get back her as fast as I can," she said.

"Nilly…" Elena said, but she just hugged her.

"Stay down here, I'll go tell Jeremy and grab a few things before I go."

Nilly began to leave the room, when Bonnie called, "I'll go with you too." Nilly froze in the doorway and turned around slowly. Bonnie had stood up and was staring at her.

"Bon, you can't. I'll only be gone for a day at the most," she tried to convince Bonnie. Nilly couldn't take her back to her town, not when she needed to get in and out as fast as possible. But Bonnie had that look in her eye that said she'd tie herself to Nilly's car if she said no.

"Come on, please," Bonnie said walking over to her. "Besides, if I go you'll have to come back."

Elena smiled, "Good point."

Nilly shook her head, "Fine, fine. But I'm leaving soon." Nilly turned to Elena, "Can you get a hold of Jenna? I don't know when she'll be home."

"Of course," Elena said. Nilly looked behind Elena where the other's were. Stefan had stood up and was now watching her with concern behind Elena. Damon and Caroline was still sitting on the couch together. Caroline had a bored look on her face and Damon had his eyes on her. They were hard and unmoving. She stared back at him for a second before she hurried upstairs.

Nilin stopped at Jeremy's door on the way to the guestroom. It was dark in there and it looked like he was asleep. She went in and scribbled a note on his desk, that's when she saw the journal. Nilly grabbed it and put her note in its place, then she went into the guestroom.

She grabbed her toothbrush and a few articles of clothing in her empty duffle bag. She'd be able to stop by her house and get more clothing for herself when she got there.

Nilly noticed her hands were shaking again, as she sat on the edge of the bed. She took in a few shaky breaths to calm herself. If she got worked up now there was no way she'd survive the drive there.

She was going back to the monster she was running from. Would he find her sooner or later? Was the thought that she could hide here and start over delusional and wishful thinking? This was a type of monster that always had a way of getting what it wanted, and when it didn't… Well, she didn't want to think of that.

Her hands fidgeted with the chain on her wrist as she sat there. There was a knock on her door, Bonnie poked her head in. "I'm ready," she said. "I called my dad and Elena gave me some overnight clothes," she explained, patting the bag slug over her shoulder. Nilly tried to smile and nodded her head. "I hope that it's okay I'm going. I want to meet Mildred. I just have so many questions and maybe she would be able to answer them," Bonnie said.

Nilly had almost forgotten that Bonnie had been dealing with her own problems, finding out she was a witch and all. How could Nilly keep her from getting answers when all Nilly's ever wanted was to find out the answers to her own questions?

"Of course it's okay, I just didn't want you to get bored." Nilly lied, getting off the bed. They went downstairs to find only Elena and Stefan there. Caroline and Damon must have left. Good, they were overstaying their welcome.

"Tell him we love him, okay?" Elena said as Nilly hugged her.

"I will," Nilly said smiling. She said goodbye to Stefan who smiled and wished her good luck. Then she grabbed her car keys and head for the door with Bonnie behind her. Nilly opened her Jeep's front door, about to get in, when she saw a piece of paper on her seat. She grabbed the small folded paper and opened it. Her eyes scanned over the words that were printed in neat unfamiliar hand writing.

**We need to finish our little talk. Be safe.**

**~D**

Damon. She crumpled the paper in her hand and shoved it in her pocket. "What was that?" Bonnie asked, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Nothing," Nilly replied as she got in the car and buckled her seat belt. She started the car and began driving. She looked over at Bonnie who was fumbling with the radio.

Nilly focused on the road as they passed the 'Welcome to Mystic Falls' sign, leaving it in her rearview mirror.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Chapter Eleven up! Be prepared for what's about to come. The next chapter we meet the monster who chased Nilin back to Mystic Falls, and its not going to be pretty. And what about Damon? Do you think he can get Nilin back on his side? Let me know! Keep reading guys :D Next chapter's up on Monday, see you then. Have a fantastic weekend.

Favorite, Follow & Review.

RLS


	18. Chapter Twelve: The Visit- Part 1

**Chapter Twelve: The Visit- Part 1 **

The ride had been quiet, Nilly wasn't up for talking and Bonnie had passed out a while ago. The sun was peeking up from the horizon. Nilin had been driving straight through the night only stopping for gas once. They were almost there now, she had seen the Lee County sign a few miles back. Meaning they were in the very end of Virgin, right where Kentucky and Tennessee boarder, many long hours away from MysticFalls.

They were heading for a town called Hopesville, ironic right? She and her dad had lived there for four years now. He had decided to move a few years after her mother died. Thinking it was the best for Nilly, when really it was the best for him. Everything in MysticFalls had reminded him of her mother. Nilly knew that, so she allowed him to relocate them without much of a fuss.

That didn't mean she liked it, though. Hopesville wasn't as small a town as Mystic Falls. It was much bigger with several school campuses and large shopping malls. The people there were nicer, many were sweet to her. They didn't really know about her story, other than she was a new girl from a small town. She could have liked it here if things hadn't gone bad last summer.

"Are we there yet?" Bonnie mumbled, picking her head up off the window and returning Nilly to the present.

"Almost," Nilly smiled. "I'm going to go straight to the hospital, though. Mil should be there with my dad still," she said. Bonnie nodded and stretched her arms out in the passenger seat.

"Did you sleep at all?" she asked, yawning.

"Nope," Nilly answered, still smiling at her. "I'm a creature of the night."

Bonnie laughed and rolled her eyes as she laid her head on the head rest. Nilly turned off the highway onto the next exit and followed it to MercyHospital. When they got there they went over to the front desk. Nilly asked which room Jack Gilbert was in and they were led to the recovery wing.

Nilly always hated the smell of hospitals, it brought back bad memories. The nurse led them to a room that looked a lot like the one Nilly had been in a few days ago.

Nilly stepped into the room. In all his glory, there laid her dad staring up at the baseball game, cursing when the batter struck out. His dark blond hair hung scattered over his forehead. Nilly could see where he must have gashed his head open. Right above his eyebrow was stitched and bandaged now.

His misty green eyes flashed towards the doorway. They were the same color as Elena's father's had been. A smile came to his face, "Nilly," he said. She smiled at the sound of his voice, realizing how much she had missed him.

Nilly went over to the bed and hugged him, his strong arms going around her. His cheek was rough against hers. "You need to shave, dad," she said as she pulled away and sat down on the side of the bed.  
"What, you don't like it? I think it gives me that manly western look," he chuckled, rubbing his chin. Nilly shook her head and laughed.

"Shave it," she said again, getting off the hospital bed and walking to the door. She grabbed Bonnie's arm. "Someone came with me to check on you," Nilly said, walking back over to the bed.

"Bonnie Bennett? Well, look at you," he grinned.

Bonnie smiled and hugged him, "Hi, Mr. Gilbert."

"God, it's been years. How is everyone back home?" he asked.

"They're good, Mr. Gilbert," she answered. "Everyone's missed you."

"You don't know how good MysticFalls is until you get back there." Nilly said.

"That's good, that's real good Nilin." He paused and then looked up at her. He had his lawyer look on his face, the one he use to use in the court room when he made a final decision. She hadn't seen that look in a very long time. "I want you to stay up there for a while, I think it's better if you do." Her eyes widened, well that was a surprise.

"Dad, how can I stay in MysticFalls when you can't even take care of yourself here?" she asked him, crossing her arms. He sat up in the bed.

"I'll get better, I always do. This was all just a slip up," he said.

"Yeah, a slip up that landed you into the hospital Dad!" Nilin nearly shouted. Her parents and hospitals didn't tend to mix well.

"Listen, I know you worry about me. You got that from your mother, but Mildred's been helping me a lot. I want you to be with the family, Nilin," he continued.

Nilly shook her head, she didn't feel like having this conversation at the moment. "Where is Mil?" she asked, changing the subject.

"She went to get coffee, that woman hasn't left my side," he explained with a grin.

"Because the moment I do, I find you passed out in the living room," Nilly heard Mildred's voice, thick with a southern accent, in the doorway. She smiled at the aging woman.

"Well isn't it my Nilin," she smiled, setting the coffee down.

Nilly hugged her, "Hey Mil."

Mildred was a small lady, with a big voice. Her dark skin made her grey eyes stand out. Along with her grey hair which was pulled back into a bun, neat and slicked back. She had on black slacks and floral linen top, the long chain golden necklace hung around her neck like always and of course she was smiling.

Mildred was always a part of the family, even when her mother was alive. She used to come to MysticFalls during the summer to visit ever since Nilly was a baby. Her mother saw Mil like a mother and Nilly saw her like a grandmother. Nilly was so grateful to have someone like Mil around after they moved here. She helped Nilly out so much and was one of the reason's her dad was almost functioning again. Nilly was probably alive because of her**,** too.

"And you must be Ms. Bonnie Bennett." Mildred said looking at the girl behind Nilly. She walked over to Bonnie and shook her hand, Bonnie gasped slightly as they stared at each other. Nilly knew they were making some sort of magical connection because of the way they were smiling at each other. Nilly turned back to her dad, who had his attention on the TV again. She sat back down on the bed.

"Dad," she said softly. "What happened this time?"

He looked down at her, his eyes looking so much older than he was. "I was coming home from work and I passed a bar. I've passed that bar every day, but never really gave any thought to it. But, for some reason I went in, and…" he paused, frowning. "That's the last thing I remember."

Nilly shook her head, "I think you need to figure out another way of getting home, without passing a bar."

He laughed a little, and placed his hands on hers. "I'm so sorry, Nilly," he said.

She gave him a sad smile. "You say that all the time, you have to show me you're sorry by making sure this doesn't happen again."

"You're right, I'm trying."

"I know you are," she said to him. Just then there was a knock at the door. Nilly turned to see a doctor standing there, a man in his early fifties with greying black hair. He had thick framed glasses on his nose and was smiling at them.

"Good morning Mr. Gilbert, I see you have company," The doctor said, walking over to them.

"Yeah, this is my daughter, Nilin. Nilly this is Dr. Sulez."

Nilly stood up and shook his hand, "Nice to meet you," he said.

"You too," she replied.

"Would I be able to speak to you in private?" he asked her. Nilly looked behind her, Bonnie and Mildred were sitting in chairs in the corner of the room talking, and her dad's eyes were on the game again.

"Of course," she said turning back to the doctor. Nilly followed him out into the hallway, she closed the door behind her.

"I'm glad you came down here," Dr. Sulez began. "I've been talking to your father since he got here and he's mostly talked about you, so I thought you'd be able to set him straight." Nilly nodded her head, terrified where this conversation was going. "When he was brought in the first thing we check was his blood alcohol levels," the doctor continued. "They were extremely high, lethally high." Nilly's heart dropped. "It took a toll on his body. We are going to run some test today to see how much of a toll it had taken. But from what I learn of your father's past history is that if this happens again, next time there might not be a chance he'll recover from it."

Nilly stared at him, she knew for a while now that this day would come. She knew it herself that her father's drinking would put him here, but it's a whole other thing hearing someone else say it out loud. Nilly took a few deep breaths, as she leaned on the hallway wall.

"I've been trying**,** doctor, but he seems willing this time. More willing than I've seen him in a long time." Nilly said looking at Dr. Sulez, he nodded at her. "He's the only parent I have left, so believe me I've been trying."

"I'm not saying you haven't been, I just think it's time to try harder," he said to her. She stood up straight and nodded. "We're ready to take him to start the test if that's alright," he said, opening the hospital room door for her. She nodded and went inside.

"You ready, Mr. Gilbert?" the doctor asked. Her father looked away from the TV and smiled.

"All ready Doc," he said.

Nilly hugged him and said, "I'll be here when you get back." He nodded at her and kissed her on the cheek, then he was gone.

Nilly sat down on the hospital bed. Mildred came over and rubbed her back. "He's going to be just fine, peaches," she said. "He's strong, you get that from him. He just misses your mother." Nilly looked at her.

"I do too, but you don't see me slurping down a bottle of whiskey." Nilly said. Mildred put a warm gentle hand on Nilly's and flattened out her clenched fist.  
"You have a right to be bitter," she said. "But that doesn't mean you have to be."

Nilly smiled at her and let out a breath. "I know, it's just what the doctor said."

"Yeah, doctors and their fancy equipment, thinking they can predict peoples futures. But they can't and you very well know that." Nilly laughed as Mil stood up, shaking her bony finger. She walked over to Bonnie. "You know that too, don't you?" Bonnie grinned a little and nodded. She turned back to Nilly.

"Your friend's pretty impressive. I haven't seen a young witch as pure and strong as her in a long while." Mildred said.

Nilly smiled at Bonnie, "I've known that all along." Bonnie laughed and stood up.

"Why thank you, but I still can't figure out how to conjure up food. So I'm going to the cafeteria to get some breakfast. I'll bring you something back," Bonnie said, leaving the room. Nilly rolled her eyes at her and rested on the bed.

Mildred came over and sat next to her, "How are you, sugar?"

Nilly looked up at her and smiled softly. "I'm good. MysticFalls and I have a love-hate relationship, but it's a lot better than here."

Mildred combed her fingers through Nilly's hair soothingly. "And that's why you have to leave as soon as possible," she urged. "I know why you had to come back here, but you have to be very careful, Nilly. He's still in town, I haven't seen him in a few days but I doubt he's left."

Nilly sighed, "I know, I know," she said. "I just want to stop at the house and grab some things and then we'll leave."

Mildred gave her a stern worried look, "You need to be careful, please."

"I will Mil. I'll go to the house by myself if you're willing to stay with Bonnie. I don't want to put her in danger," she said.

Mildred sighed, "Of course, peaches."

"Thank you." Nilly said, yawing.

Mildred tapped the silver chain on Nilly's wrist. "How'd that bracelet I made for you work?" she asked.

"It's worked, not that he's tried to compel me since he's figured out I have vervain on me, but it worked." Nilly explained, getting shivers down her spine.

"It's some protection though," Mildred said. "Now why don't you take a nap?" She got up and pulled the hospital sheets over Nilly. "You'll be safe here, you got two witches in the room with you," she said, winking at Nilly.

With one final nod and yawn, Nilly shut her eyes and soon enough she was asleep.

* * *

The sunlight made her squint. She shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked around. A frown came to her lips as she realized where she was. Nilin was back in the meadow again. This time it was daylight though, but she was clearly dreaming. There were white fluff balls floating everywhere, and they tickled her nose. She heard movement that made her jump.

Nilly turned towards the noise slowly. A woman with long soft copper hair and a flowing white dress was picking something from the tree she stood under. Nilly started towards the woman, when she turned around. Nilly saw the aqua eyes as the lady stared at her, looking stunned.  
"Mom?" Nilly asked, confused. "Mom!" she yelled again and then she began running towards her. She slammed in to her mother, almost falling to the ground as she hugged her. Her mother's arms were around her, holding them together.

"My Nilin," she whispered against Nilly's hair. She pulled away to look at Nilly. "You are so beautiful," she said. Nilly half sobbed, half laughed. Her mother wiped the tears off Nilly's cheeks. "Oh don't do that, we don't have time to do that."

"What do you mean?" Nilly asked. She was confused and happy and sad, but she also began to feel a sense of dread lingering. Her mother looked at her.

"I'm here for a reason," she said her voice soft and calming. "You have to be very cautious, Nilly. You have a job to do, and it's going to take a lot to do it. You're going to lose a lot, as well. More than you already have. You're a very special girl," she paused as she leaned her head on Nilly's. "And I'm so proud of you." Nilly stared at her, her eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"You're not going to understand this yet, but you will in the end," her mother continued. "You have so much love at home that no evil can destroy that, though many are going to try. They all care about you deeply, all of them. Don't give up on him, especially. He's on a blind mission, but you're the only one he sees."

Her confusion grew as she stared at her mother. "Who? Who are you talking about?" Nilly asked. Her mother smiled.

"You'll figure it out, I promise."

Nilly shook her head, "None of this makes sense, you know that right?"  
"I know, but there's one more thing. Before I see you again, you're going to fined things out. You're going to dig up secrets that were only ever kept from you for protection. You can't be angry, remember what I'm telling you. They were never meant to be kept from you this long, so don' let your emotions get a hold of you when the truth comes out."

Nilly was lost. She was almost following what her mother was saying, but still it seemed scattered and vague. "Okay, Mom. I won't," she said. Her mother stroked Nilly's cheek and she kissed her on the forehead.

"Stay strong Nilly, and one last thing."

"Yeah?" Nilly asked, tears starting to run down her cheek again.

Her mother smiled at her, making Nilly feel warm inside. She stroked her cheek again and said, "Keep singing." Nilly let out a sob again as she hugged her mother.

Holding on for as long as she could, "I love you." Nilly said.

"I love you so much, baby girl," her mother said softly. Then the meadow suddenly went dark and her arms were empty. Nilly looked around, her mother was gone. She sunk to her knees, and furiously wiped the tears out of her eyes but they kept coming.

Breathing heavy, Nilly looked across the meadow. That's when she saw his dark silhouette standing there. The air escaped from Nilly lungs as chills ran down her spine.

He laughed, the sound echoing through the tress and suddenly she was in her father's hospital room again, gasping. She sat up quickly and looked around the room. Bonnie and Mildred were staring at her with worrisome looks.

Nilly tried to smile at them, but slunk back down on the bed and covered her face with the hospital pillow.

* * *

A few hours later, her dad was back with testing done, and they were all eating pizza Nilly had smuggled into the hospital. Nilly had called Elena a while ago, informing her on what had happen and how they were planning to leave soon. The only thing she needed to do was stop at the house to pick some things up. She left Bonnie with Mildred, who was happy to talk with her and then she said goodbye to her dad.

"I love you, Dad." Nilly said hugging him. The doctors were keeping him in the hospital until certain test came back, so he was still in his patient gown with sweatpants on underneath and sitting on the hospital bed.

"I love you too, Nilly," he said. "I'm glad you decided to stay with Elena and Jeremy for a little. I want you to be happy, and they've always kept you smiling. Don't worry about me, okay? It's my job to worry about you, not the other way around."

"Yeah, you make that kind of hard though," she said, hugging him again. He kissed her cheek.

"Don't get into to any trouble, just enjoy your summer."

"I will if you will, and promise me no more drinking. None." Nilly said sternly.

He smiled at her. "Yes ma'am," he said. "Would you like a legal agreement draw up and ready to sign?" he asked her.

Nilin shot him a look, "Yeah, I would actually. Get on that, will you?"

"Will do?" he agreed, smiling. She laughed and blew him a kiss as she left the hospital room. It was kind of bitter sweet leaving her dad. She'd miss him, but she could only miss him if she was out of Hopesville, which she desperately wanted to be by now.

Nilly got in the elevator to go down to the underground parking area the hospital had, where her Jeep was parked. She pressed the button and leaned her back on the elevator wall as it began to drop. It stopped and the doors opened with a ding. She stepped into the dim parking area.

There were florescent lights hanging from the ceiling, evenly placed along the rows of cars that made it able to see. But the light threw shadows everywhere, making Nilly's eyes think she saw movement when the parking lot was absolutely desolate. Or so Nilly thought. Off in the distance, she kept hearing footsteps behind her as she walked, but every time she'd turn around there was no one there.

She started walking a little fast to her car, trying to keep as quiet as possible, but the footsteps kept pace with her. Nilly turned around quick, looking behind her. "Hello?" she called, but all she could hear was the echo of her voice. Then she heard that bone chilling laughter, Nilly whipped her head around, scanning the dark parking area. She wasn't alone.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
So first off, sorry for the really late update. I was super busy, but here is the next part guys! Thanks for waiting. So, left it on a major cliffhanger and I'm just gonna leave it there until Friday. What do you thinks going to happen? Let me know.

Favorite, Follow & Review.

See you guys Friday,  
RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**  
Go to Polyvore DOT com and attached the following to the end of the url

Mildred:

/chapter_twelve_mildred/set?id=90420187

Nilin's Mother in her dream:

/chapter_twelve_nilins_mother/set?id=90428562


	19. Chapter Twelve: The Visit- Part 2

**Chapter Twelve: The Visit- Part 2**

Her heart started racing, and her hands were shaking.

Nilin reached in her pocket to grab her car keys, when her fingertips brushed a piece of paper. She immediately knew what it was; the piece of paper she had found on her seat, the one with Damon's words written on it. _Be safe._

Suddenly, all Nilly wanted was Damon; for them to be sitting in the sun on their bench in the Common or downing drinks in the Grill. Instead she was in an underground parking garage, with no witnesses and possibly alone with _him_.

Nilly swallowed hard as she pulled her keys out and hit the unlock button. Her Jeep's lights flashed, she could see her car only a few rows down. She started for it again, shivers trembling down her spine when she heard the footsteps once more.

Nilly was almost there. She quickened her pace, almost running now. She heard the chuckling again, this time right behind her. She stopped dead, her body froze and a scream caught in her throat.

"Well, hello Nilin," his cold silver voice said right behind her. The scream never made it past her lips.

* * *

Bonnie was sitting in Mildred's apartment at the senior home. It was obvious no one was here very often. Everything looked unused and had a thin layer of dust on it. That's when she remembered Nilly telling her that Mildred stayed at her house most of the time, rarely coming here. Bonnie could see why, everything was so dull and colorless. There was no way someone like Mildred would fit in here.

Bonnie was waiting for Nilly to come pick her up to head back home to Mystic Falls, but she didn't mind it here. Mildred was showing her an old grimoire. She was flipping through the pages of the ancient book when Mildred came back into the living room and sat next to her.

"You can keep it, you know," she said. Bonnie looked up at her and shook her head.

"No, I can't take this," she replied.

Mildred chuckled slightly and placed her hand on Bonnie's knee. "Of course you can, I don't have much use for it now and if I do need it, I'll know where it is."

"What about your kids?" Bonnie asked. "Nilly told me you had some."  
"Two," Mildred smiled. "A son and a daughter, both about to start a family of their own soon."

"Aren't they…"

"Magical?" she chuckled. "They are, but they never accepted their gift. It faded away over the years, sadly."

"What if they wanted their powers now? Could they get them back or are they gone for good?" Bonnie questioned.

"Well, they could try but who knows," Mildred shrugged. Bonnie had a new perspective on Mildred. Her kids weren't like Bonnie, they had a choice. To Bonnie it felt like she never had one. Maybe she could be Mildred's second chance at being a teacher.

Bonnie smiled, her fingers tracing down the yellow pages of the book, "Thank you so much today. I know I must be a pain, but you've helped me a lot."

"Anything I can do to help you, Bonnie. I know what it's like to have no one around that really knows what you're going through. It's tough sweetheart, but so are you."

Bonnie looked down. "My Grams has been trying to help me. Like I said, she's a witch, too. She's told me all she knows, but I still have so many things I don't understand yet," she said.

"And you might never understand it," Mildred said. "But many things will explain themselves as time goes on. One thing I must urge you," she continued, "Is that you must be aware of the power you are using. It can take a toll on your body and too much power might be enough to cause you great harm."

Bonnie listened to Mildred talk, her voice wise with age. "These powers we're given all have a balance," she explained. "We are usually forced to restore the balance of nature with other creatures of the supernatural. I'm sure you're aware of those?"

Bonnie nodded, "You mean vampires, right?"

"Vampires and other creatures you're sure to come across. A new world will begin to open up for you, Bonnie, but you must realize the power you hold inside and your job as a witch. The lines of good and evil become easily blurred and that can lead you into a real mess," she said. Mildred squinted, "But I see something very good in you. Nilly's lucky to have a friend like you to have her back." Mildred stood up and walked over to the window. "God knows she'll need it," she mumbled. Bonnie looked at her and then back down at the grimoire, concern growing in her chest.

_Shouldn't_ _have Nilly been back by now?_ Bonnie wondered.

* * *

Nilly couldn't see straight as she stumbled for her car. The keys in her one hand were slick with blood. She cradled them tightly, pressing her other hand to her neck, trying to keep the pressure. He had left her lying there and she didn't move until she thought she was dead herself. But something kept poking her in the back of her mind. Telling her to get up and get into her car.

She needed to get to the house. She couldn't go back into the hospital. If they saw her like this they'd never let her leave, she'd end up in a hospital bed again. She'd be stuck in this town with him watching her, never making it out of Hopesville. There was a burning pain on her wrist and neck, the most delicate areas of skin. His fangs had ripped at them, breaking skin and piercing veins.

Once Nilly made it to her Jeep, she fumbled with the door, her fingers numb and wet. Finally she got it open and pulled herself in. Her hand was shaking so bad that she could barely get the key into the ignition and turn it. When she heard the engine come to life, she let out a sob of relief. Nilly had to get out of there while she still could, she was getting very tired, very fast.

She could feel the blood dripping on to her lap from the gash on her cheek. Nilly desperately looked around for something to staunch the bleeding, coming from her neck. Reaching into the back seat, her adrenaline pumping, she pulled open her duffle bag. She grabbed a flannel shirt that she had brought with her and tried to rip it with her teeth. She couldn't even put a tear in it. Giving up she used one of the sleeves to wipe her cheek and then held it to the wound on her neck.

After a failed attempt to control her breathing, she managed to back out of the parking space and make her way back on the street. Trying her best to keep the car from swerving on the road, she drove as fast as she could. The drive felt like it took hours when in reality it was minutes. She squealed into her driveway and threw open the car door, falling on the gravel. Her knees were shaking as she tried to stand up and make them work properly. Nilly managed it though, because the next thing she knew she was in the house, locking the door behind her and falling to the floor.

She pulled herself into the kitchen, where the phone was. She used the counter to pull herself to her knees. Flicking on the lights, Nilly's stomach heaved. She could see the extent of her injuries now. Both hands were stained red; her black tank top seemed to be seeping with blood. She reached her arm out, struggling to get a hold of the phone. Her fingers grasped around it as she fell back on the floor.

Her hands were shaking violently as she urgently tried to punch in the numbers. She hit the call button and held the phone to her ear.

The pain was becoming unbearable as the adrenaline began to where off and drowsiness set in. Nilly tried to focus on the call tone, counting the number of times it rang. 1… 2… 3…

"Hello?" Mildred's voice came from the phone. She managed to get three words out. "He found me." Nilly mumbled, then she lost her grip on the phone.

* * *

Bonnie took a sip of the herbal tea Mildred had made her. It helped calm her worries. Nilly was late, she shouldn't have been gone this long. Bonnie didn't know what would cause Nilly to not be here by now. When she had asked Mildred, the older women had just told her not to fuss, so Bonnie was trying not to fuss.

The phone rang in the kitchen and Bonnie heard Mildred answer it. "Hello?"

There was a clatter as something fell to the floor, Bonnie's head snapped up. She stood and asked quietly, "Mildred, are you okay?" There wasn't an answer.

Suddenly, she appeared in the doorway. Her dark face was unusually pale looking. She was gripping the doorframe as she looked up at Bonnie and spoke.

"I have to go help Nilly with something," she said, her tongue thick with an accent. "I think you'll be staying the night here, you should call your folks and Elena." Mildred began moving, snapping out over whatever shock she was in. She went into the back room and Bonnie could hear her fumbling with something.

"What happened? What do I tell them?" Bonnie asked. Mildred came out of the room holding a black leather bag.

"Tell them there was a change of plans, that Nilly wasn't comfortable with leaving her daddy, yet. I'll be back late, make yourself at home but don't leave the apartment," she said heading towards the door. Bonnie called to her, "Is what I'm telling them the truth? Is that true?"

Mildred turned around. "Just make your voice sound believable," she said and then shut the door, leaving Bonnie standing there, fear and confusion running through her veins. Bonnie sat back down on the couch slowly.

There was something wrong, very very wrong. What? Bonnie didn't know. One thing she knew for sure was that she wasn't going home tonight.

* * *

Nilly heard banging, but she was too tired to get up and see what was making the sound. She didn't want to move, she just wanted to go to sleep and make the pain stop, but the banging was persistent. Someone was shouting at her somewhere, it sounded like Mil's voice.

The banging stopped, but it sounded like something was slammed open. A weak shudder of fear ran through her when she wondered if it was him trying to get into the house. Nilly tried, unsuccessfully, to lift her head up, but everything felt heavy. She couldn't move because her entire body hurt. She gave up on trying to lift her head as the darkness began to edge around her. Suddenly, someone was flicking the lights on, and touching her. She felt a warm slim hand grabbing hers.

"Nilly? Nilly, stay with me if you know what's good for you." Mil's voice said. Nilly's eyes popped open as relief washed through her. Nilly squeezed her hand slightly. "There's my girl," Mildred said.

Nilly felt her lips move but no sound came out. "You know you're going to have to speak up, my hearing ain't what it used to be." Mildred said calmly.

Nilly tried again. "Christian," she said with a shudder. "Christian was there, he was there."

"Shh, shh, shh. I know, peaches. You're safe now, calm down. Getting yourself all worked up isn't going to help anybody." Mil hushed her. Nilly let out a breath and closed her eyes again, just to feel Mildred slap her cheek. Not hard, but enough to make Nilly force her eyes back open.

"None of that now," Mildred said. "Keep them sparkly blues on me." Nilly did, she watched Mil's face as she worked her way over her body. Mildred removed the soaked flannel from her neck, cleaning the wound, and held something over her cheek to stop the cut from bleeding there.

Mil closed her eyes and held her hands over Nilly, as she began mumbling something. Nilly couldn't make out what she was saying, but she could feel the warmth returning to her body and the pain receding. Mildred's eyes opened and she looked Nilly over once more.

"I'm sorry baby, that's all I could do this time," she said, helping her sit up. Nilly's hair was matted to her head from sweat and blood and she was seeing double vision, but at least she could sit up. She looked down at her wrist. She saw the three ugly crescent shaped gashes there still bleeding, but not excessively. Even though it still stung it wasn't an unbearable pain. Her neck hurt much worse, when she went to touch it Mildred smacked her hand away.

"Leave that be, it's the worst of your injuries," she said, reaching in her black bag and pulling out white bandages. Nilly dropped her hand to her lap as Mildred bandaged her neck. She winced every time Mil put too much pressure on it. Nilly looked at the red stained ground and that's when she broke down. Sobs shook her body as tears poured down her cheek.

The realization that she let Christian do this to her again and the fact that he left her barely alive was too much for her. She knew he was just playing with her now. He'd known she would survive that attack and that he'd be able to do it again to her. Nilly was just his play toy he'll abuse until there was no longer a way of repairing it.

She was getting herself worked up again. Feeling her heart speed up, she tried to control her ragged breathing. That's when Mildred put her hands on either side of Nilly's face. "Look at me, peaches," she said, staring straight at Nilly. "You will be fine. You will make it through this. You are the strongest girl I have ever met, and I know for a fact you are stronger than this. You can't give into it now, not when you are so close to happiness. We knew there was a chance this would happen if you came back, that that boy would get a hold of you. He did, but you lived through it again. You're alive."

Nilly looked at Mildred, her chest calming down. "Yes, but how much longer do I have to live? What if the next time this happens you're not around and you can't perform some spell to magically heal me?" Nilly asked.

"Because I have a feeling that if this happens again, you're not going to need me." Mildred said, wiping the tears off Nilly's cheeks. She looked up at the aging woman, "What do you know, Mil?" Nilly asked her.

"Not a lot, but enough," she replied, Nilly sighed. She hated knowing Mildred had a magical connection to see what was coming, when Nilly was clueless to her future. Mil stood up and helped Nilly get off the floor. She staggered, leaning on the counter and Mildred for support. Mildred managed to get her to the upstairs bathroom and sit her down on the edge of the tub.

"Will you be able to wash yourself up?" she asked. Nilly nodded her head as she started to take her shoes off. "I'm going to go get Bonnie and bring her back here. I left her at the senior home. I don't want you alone anymore until you leave. Will you be okay by yourself for a few?" Mildred asked, pulling out towels from the cabinet.

"I'll be fine, Christian can't get in the house anymore, remember?" Nilly said.

"Of course," she said, smiling. "Get cleaned up, I'll be back as fast as I can. Don't leave this house, don't even leave this floor." Mildred kissed Nilly on the forehead and left the bathroom.

Nilly stood up, leaning on the bathroom sink for support. She looked in the mirror. Her neck was bandaged, the gash on her cheek was scabbing, her lip was swollen and her eyes were bloodshot. Her wrist looked worse, they both had purpling swollen bruises around them, from where he had grabbed her and the one arm had the three identical bite marks on it. When she turned her arms a certain way in the florescent light she could see pale scars running up and down her arms, in the same shape of the bite marks she had now. They were all from him, each one of them on her arms and neck.

They were easy to hide once they healed. The scars were hard to see in the sunlight and Nilly would put cover up on the bad ones, hiding them completely. She covered them so well no one ever noticed, which is good because Nilly could never figure out what to tell people if they asked about them. Each one had a nightmare that came with it that only Nilly knew about. She wanted to keep this all a secret, but how much longer could she do that? She didn't know what she'd tell Bonnie about what happened, she was hoping Mildred would come up with something to tell her before they got back to her house.

She went back over to the bathtub and turned the nozzle to get the water flowing. She stripped off her sodden shirt and threw it in the corner with a splat. She did the same with her shorts, then she took a washcloth and began to wash away the drying blood gently. She did it until her skin was spotless, her wounds were raw and the bathwater held a red tinged to it, making it look pink. Then she carefully rinsed her hair out, running her fingers through it and combing out the many snags. When she was done, the water in the tub was a dark red, like wine. Nilly drained the water and went in to her bedroom.

It was the same as she had left it. With its dark navy blue walls, its white trim and king sized bed with her old iron head and foot board that looked like white vines. She had hand strung white lights around her bed, woven through the metal vines. She plugged them in, getting light headed when she bent down. She steadied herself on the bed post as the lights illuminated her room. Pictures hung on every wall, books and CD's littered her floor as she stepped around them to turn on her stereo, a song began playing. She turned it up, filling the silence with guitar riffs and the sound of a bass.

She walked over to her dresser in the corner of the room and pulled on her favorite sweatpants and a grey tank top. Nilly fell on to her bed. She snuggled under the covers, piling her pillows around her and tucking the sheets under her. Her entire body was still sore, where he had bit her stung with the slightest pressure, but the cool sheets felt good on her abused skin. Her head pounded and her eyes burned, how she survived this one Nilly will never know. She sank into sleep, finding memories of Christian haunting her there, but her body was so beaten it refused to let her wake from them.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

A new villian, a twisted, dark, screwed up one and I love it. He is going to create A LOT of problems to come. Tell me what you guys think. Favorite, Follow & Review.

RLS


	20. Chapter Thirteen: The Victim's SecretPt1

**Chapter Thirteen: The Victim's Secret- Part 1**

Nilly woke up the next morning, she actually woke up. Everything hurt, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was alive and breathing. Still wrapped in blankets and her curtains drawn, Nilly, very tenderly squirmed out of her bed and looked around her room. Her string of lights had been unplugged and her door was closed, but the stereo in the corner was still playing quietly.

Being incredibly gentle Nilly swung her legs off the bed and placed her feet on the cold floor. She didn't trust her legs to hold her up yet. The familiar searing pain on the side of her neck had returned causing black dots to dance in her vision. Her stomach felt sick, nauseous from the sudden rush of pain. She closed her eyes for a moment, steadying herself. Slowly she flexed her muscles, each one. Pinpointing the sore weak spots and relying on the strong ones.

In one movement she stood up and immediately regretted it. It felt like she was thrown into a concrete wall. Nilly stumbled forward, catching herself on the iron foot rest. She took a deep breath, and straightened up. Ignoring the pain, she walked into the bathroom.

Someone had been in here, probably Mildred. The clothes she had thrown in the corner last night were gone, the floor was squeaky clean, and so was the bathtub. No trace of blood anywhere. On the bathroom counter sat clean towels, a cold glass of water, a bottle of painkillers and new bandages. Nilly opened the bottle and swallowed a few pills, draining the glass of water. She shied away from the mirror, not wanting to see what she looked like at the moment.

Deciding to take a shower, Nilly undressed and, in one swift movement, she removed the bandage on her neck. A curse hissed through her lips as she clamped her teeth together. Tossing the blood soaked bandage in the trash, she stepped in the shower. The water ran down her back, the warmth loosened her muscles and soothed her body.

After a while, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped her hair in a towel tightly and dried herself off. As she was drying herself off she noticed the huge yellowing bruise on the side of her thigh. Nilly couldn't remember exactly when she had gotten that last night, but it still made a shiver run down her spine.

Nilly looked at the side of her neck. She touched the crescent shaped bite mark gently. The impression of teeth was clear on her neck, red and scabbing. Around the bite her skin was purple, sore. Wincing, she put another white bandaging on it. Her inner arm still held the bite marks clearly, but the bruising had gone down around her wrist. She could hide that with a sweatshirt.

Nilly couldn't do much with her face though. The gash under her eye wasn't as noticeable; it was a fading red mark now. Her bottom lip was split open though and hurt like a bitch. Groaning, she turned away from the mirror. Back in her bedroom, she went to get dressed. This time she pulled out white shorts, and a baggy teal sweatshirt. She threw her hair up into a bun and combed out her bangs on her forehead with her fingers. Just like any other day, she tried to tell herself.

She wasn't ready to go downstairs, though. Nilly had no idea what she would fine, so instead she gathered some of her things to bring back to MysticFalls. Nilly smiled as a sudden rush of joy flooded through her. She was actually going home, back to the good old MysticFalls. Oh, how a wonderful town that was. In all honesty it was a pretty good town, no maniac vampires around.

Instead it has her family and friends. Elena, Jenna and Jeremy are there, waiting for her. She'd be able to see Tyler and Stefan again and head down to the book store to chat with Magnolia and Shellie. But most of all, she'd be able to see Damon. That's all she needed at this point, to be able to see him and know he's real.

Nilin could forget that he was fraternizing with the enemy, Caroline, and how he was on a mission to reunite with some past love. She'd forget about all that if she could hear him called her princess in that smooth arrogant way of his.

With that thought lifting her up, she began getting a pile on her bed. Some CD's, books, her comforter to swap with the one back in Mystic Falls, her favorite pair of heels, sweatpants, a blouse or two, a few dresses, skirts and all those girl essentials. Along with that she grabbed her black spiraled notebooks, the ones she kept all her songs and doodles in.

Something in front of her desk caught her eye. She stopped and looked at a picture frame there. It was of her and her parents, all smiling. She must have been around six when it was taken. Nilly lifted the picture closer, smiling at it. Her mother looked the same in the dream she had the other night, it was almost eerie. She added it to the pile on the bed.

That's when someone tapped on her door, Bonnie came in and closed the door behind her. They stared at each other for a while, neither saying a word.

"Bonnie…" Nilly finally spoke. Bonnie held her hand up to stop Nilly.

"Mildred told me everything," she said quietly. That's when the dams burst. Nilly just broke down as tears began streaming down her face. She sobbed as Bonnie came over and wrapped her arms around her. Bonnie started crying too, and they both ended up on the floor, arms around each other and wet cheeks.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Bonnie said through the tears. Nilly had plenty of reasons, one Christian would've killed her, or worse, whoever she told. No one would have believed her anyway, and if someone actually did, how would a human be able to go up against a monster like him.

"How could I?" Nilly asked. "How was I supposed to know anyone would believe me?"

Bonnie pulled away from Nilly to look her in the eyes, "Well, he's not going to touch you again, understand? I won't let him."

"Bonnie," Nilin frowned, she didn't want her friend getting involved. Getting involved, meant getting hurt.

Bonnie kept talking, shaking her head. "Mildred showed me some protection spells that might work, and we both agreed that we have to leave as soon as you're ready," she said.

Nilly just nodded, wiping her eyes, "Than I'm ready."

Bonnie gave her a small smile and stood back up. She helped Nilly off the floor. Nilin noticed Bonnie's eyes go to her neck. Her thin dark fingers went to the bandage there and she touched it gently, as Nilly watched emotions flash across her face.

Her hand dropped from Nilly's neck and the expression on her face became hard. "Come on," she said and walked over to the bed. Nilly followed as Bonnie began putting the items in the pile on her bed in an empty duffle bag neatly. Nilly zipped it up and pushed it to the door. Bonnie helped her straighten out her room, putting everything in order and then she put her hand on the door knob. "You ready?" Bonnie asked.

Nilly smiled slightly. "Ready," she said, as Bonnie opened the door.

* * *

"So, you really think they're okay?" Elena asked, leaning her head back on the couch. She was at the boarding house, where Stefan lived. She sat in what would be called a study in a normal house, but she couldn't figure out what you would call the room in this house. It had shelves to the ceiling, filled with books and a large oak desk sat in the middle. Huge paintings hung on every wall, along with iron candle holders. There was a couch in the room that sat in front of the huge brass window. It showed light into the entire room and gave it a cozy feeling.

"I think you worry too much," Stefan said coming over and sitting next to her. She inched closer to him, feeling his arm go around her as she leaned on his chest.

"Yeah, I know. It just seemed weird. Nilly had called me saying how everything was fine and how desperately she wanted to be home and then a few hours later I get a call from Bonnie saying they were staying the night. It just doesn't make sense." Elena pondered. She felt Stefan shrug.

"You can always just ask when she gets back, do you know when they'll be here?" he asked.

"Bonnie called me again this morning saying they were leaving as soon as Nilly was ready, but that was the last I've heard from the both of them," she answered. Then Elena let out a sigh. "I'm just being paranoid, aren't I?"

Stefan smiled. "No, you're being protective and it's adorable," he said, kissing her lips softly. Elena smiled against them. She loved when he did that, kissed her for no reason. It made her giddy inside and her stomach all woozy. Sometimes Elena couldn't believe she had found him, and that he had chosen to stay with her. He came at the lowest point in her life and reminded her how to smile again. Stefan understood her, he saw her flaws and mistakes and didn't try to hide them. She kissed him again, long enough to make her lighted headed. She giggled as she pulled away.

"What?" he asked with a smile. She shook her head.

"Just realizing how lucky I am." Elena said. Suddenly she was in Stefan's arms. He had picked her up and was now cradling her with his face inches from hers. She gasped at his quick movement, but then a smile came to her face.

"Wrong," he said. "I'm the lucky one." Then he was kissing her again.

"You two mind doing that somewhere else?" Elena jumped at the sound of Damon's voice. Simultaneously, Stefan and Elena looked up in the direction of his voice. He was standing, back to them, starting up at the book self. Elena blushed as Stefan sat her back down on the couch.

"What do you want Damon?" Stefan groaned. Damon looked back at them momentarily, but then turned back to the book shelf.

"Good morning to you too, brother," he said mockingly. He began pulling books out, looking at them then tossing them on the floor. Elena stood up and walked over to him.

"What are you looking for?" Elena asked. He looked at her with a smile.

"What are you doing Damon, what are you looking for Damon," he said, mimicking them. "Can't a guy just browse a few books in peace?" he continued pulling books out.

"Well maybe if you tell us what you're looking for then we can help you find it faster, so you can leave." Elena said, crossing her arms over her chest. Damon just laughed at her.

"Too bad it's not here," he said, dropping another book on the floor. He turned to face them, smiling. "You two can go back to what you were doing on the couch now, don't mind me." He began to leave when he stopped in the doorway, leaning on the frame. "Hey, uh, Elena. When's your cousin coming back in town? I'm awfully bored without her here." Damon said with a dark smirk.

Then the doorway was empty. Elena turned to Stefan, who was still staring at the door, his hands balled up. She laid her hand on his arm and it seemed her touch alone was enough to relax him.

"You heard what Nilly told him at dinner the other night, she's done with him. Neither of them know you and I overheard them talking. That's why he's still trying to use this to get under your skin." Elena said, calmly. She felt bad for ease dropping on Nilly the other night, but she also felt proud of Nilly for what she said. It made Elena realize that Nilly did know how to take care of herself.

"You're right. He's just giving me more and more reasons to want him gone." Stefan said, walking back over to the couch. He grabbed Elena's hand and pulled her down with him. She smiled about how perfect everything felt at that moment, only if Nilly were back.

* * *

As Nilly made her way down the stairs, she could see Mildred at the small dinner table. She had three steaming cups of tea in front of her. She smiled when she looked up to see Nilly. "Good morning, peaches." Mildred said as Nilly's eyes darted around the kitchen. Everything was cleaned, wiped down with no sign of what happened last night. It kind of messed with her head a little. Did it actually happen? Mildred must have seen the confusion on her face because she spoke up. "Don't you fret, I washed everything up last night. No need for that mess to be lying around," she said, calmly.

"My car, though. There was bl-" Mildred cut her off.

"I took care of it, it's all squeaking clean." Nilly sat down next to her and took a sip of the tea.

"Thank you, for everything," she said. Mildred put her hand on Nilly's.

"You're welcome, darling," she said. Then she got up and went upstairs. Bonnie came and sat down, sipping her cup as well. Nilly took another big gulp, burning her mouth. She twisted her bracelet around and looked over to Bonnie.

"Bonnie, I need for you to do something for me," she said.

Bonnie looked up from her tea, "Yeah?"

Nilly took a deep breath. "This has to be our little secret. What happened here has to be kept quiet. I can't have Elena knowing about any of this."

"Why not?" Bonnie asked. "Secrets cause trouble, Nilly."

"Because if Elena knows she'll try to get involved, that's too dangerous. Christian can't know about her or you or Jeremy. He'll use my family against me." Nilly explained, clenching her hands. Bonnie looked at Nilly, processing this.

"What are we going to do then Nilly?" she asked, understanding the severity.

"We are going to go home, you are going to forget about this and not worry, okay?" she said.

"And how am I supposed to do that? You could have died last night." Bonnie said her voice rising.

"But I didn't, and no one's going to die because of this. We'll be fine once we get to Mystic Falls . I'll tell Elena eventually, but once she's out of danger." Nilly paused for a moment. "Does she even know about vampires?" Nilly saw Bonnie hesitate for a moment, before she shrugged.

"I only told her about witches," she answered, looking down had her tea.

"Oh well, we'll cross that path when we get there." Nilly said taking another sip of hers.

"What are you going to tell them about that?" Bonnie asked nodding her head to Nilly's neck. She shrugged. "I can hide the one on my throat until it heals. I'll just have to make up something about these." Nilly said, indicating the cuts on her face. "I'll tell them I feel out of bed," she continued.

Bonnie raised her eyebrow. "And why would you do that?"

Nilly thought for a minute. "A very vivid nightmare," she said. "It's the truth, more or less."

Bonnie nodded. "A nightmare split your lip, got it." Nilly rolled her eyes at Bonnie.

"You don't have to say anything, unless someone asks you," she said.

Bonnie just nodded, "I know."

"Alright ladies, let's get a move on." Mildred said coming down the stairs with Nilly's duffle bag. Nilly and Bonnie stood up as she heaved it over to Nilly, who momentarily stumbled under its weight. "I added a few things in there you might need," she said winking.

"I see that." Nilly said, shifting the bag on her shoulder. Mildred closed her eyes for a moment, her lips moving fast but soundlessly. Then they blinked open.

"I don't sense anything out of the ordinary around the house, so you should go now while that boy's not around." Mil said calmly. Nilly sighed and nodded. She walked over to Mildred and buried her head in her shoulder.

"Now now, I don't want any of that. Don't you worry about me or your daddy. He'll be mighty fine, that vampire isn't going to touch us. Just mind yourself, you're the one you have to protect now." Mildred said, patting Nilly's hair.

"I love you Mil," she said. Mildred hugged her once more.

"I love you too, peaches."

Then Bonnie came over. "Thank you so much, Mildred," she said. "I don't think you know how much you've helped me." Bonnie wrapped her arms around Mildred, who returned her hug. "I'm so glad I got to meet you even if the circumstances are a little less than desirable."

Mildred held Bonnie's hands in between her own.  
"Not that you needed any of my help in the first place, but I know how much it means. Trust me. You're very welcome Ms. Bonnie and it's been a pleasure meeting you."

And with that they left the house, Nilly threw her bag in the back. She and Bonnie slid into the front seat, starting the car immediately. Nilly backed out of the driveway and started their very long trip back to Mystic Falls .

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

How was your weekend, lovelies? I hope it was spectacular. This is the start of Chapter Thirteen, which will be three parts. Here's the first, tell me what you think! I just want to thank everyone who is reading and following my story. It means so much to me. My story has grown but now I want it to grow even bigger. That's all up to you amazing readers. So remember to Favorite, Follow & Review!

Thanks again, see you on Wednesday,  
RLS


	21. Chapter Thirteen: The Victim's SecretPt2

**Chapter Thirteen: The Victim's Secret- Part 2**

By the time Nilly had gotten back into Mystic Falls and dropped a drowsy Bonnie off at her house it was close to midnight. She snuck into Elena's house quietly. Joy exploding her heart as she stepped foot in the house, finally home. It was like crossing the finish line of a brutal bloody marathon.

She was still in pain but it seemed like she was healing quickly. She took a few more painkillers that she found in a kitchen cabinet and then lugged her duffle bag upstairs. The house was dark and silent, and Nilin tried to be as quiet as possible. Everyone was clearly sleeping. That was okay though, she'd let them sleep and greet them in the morning. Even though she desperately wanted someone to be awake waiting for her, it was probably better they were asleep.

She made it up to the guestroom, closing the door behind her. A smile spread across her face as she looked around the still over-cheery bright yellow room. Just as light and fluffy as she left it a few days ago. Nilly opened the windows wide, letting the cool night air in. She could hear the sound of early summer bugs outside her window.

Though her eyes burned and her body ached, Nilly couldn't sleep. She doubted she would even be able to fall asleep. So instead of brewing some chamomile tea and putting on soft music like a normal person would, she began unpacking all her things and flicking on her radio to the rock station. She recognized the song that came on.

_I dreamed I was missing_

_You were so scared_

_But no one would listened_

_Cause no one else cared_

_After my dreaming I woke with this fear,_

_What am I leaving when I'm done here?_

The song suddenly gave her shivers. The words making her hairs stand up as something about them had her feeling uneasy. Quickly taking the stack of CD's out of her duffle bag, she stuck one in the stereo and pressed a button. Music filled the air. She turned it on low as the drums picked up. Moving around the room she sung to herself quietly;

_I ponder of something great_

_My lungs will fill and then deflate_

_They fill with fire_

_Exhale desire_

_I know it's dire_

_My time today_

She went back to unpacking. Pulling out her dark navy down comforter she brought, Nilly tossed it on the bed. She pulled the clothes and shoes out of her duffle bag next and placed them in the closet. Her mind drifted from the song playing as she focused on the picture frame she pulled out of the bag. She placed it carefully on her night stand, smiling at it.

Shoving the now empty duffle bag under her bed, Nilly kicked off her shoes and pulled off the sweatshirt. Without warning, tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. Whether from the lack of sleep or emotions crashing down on her, she didn't know but the tears came, running down her cheeks and dripping on to her open palm.

What was going on with her? She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands, trying to get rid of the tears. Nilly felt like she was slowly losing control, that soon she'd shatter and no one would be there to pick up the pieces. She took a deep breath to calm down, but she couldn't get a hold of herself.

Still wipping the wetness out of her eyes, she slowly changed out of her clothes and put an oversize t-shirt on. Walking into the bathroom, she noticed her wrist bothering her. She saw her silver chain around it, rubbing against one of the bites there and causing it to become raw. Nilly unclasped the bracelet and placed it on the nightstand. She'd be safe without it for one night.

After that, she pulled the bandage off her neck. She stared at the bite mark in the mirror. It wasn't as bad as it was this morning and the pain was fading as well. She rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hands one last time before flicking off all her lights. She turned her stereo up and crawled into bed. She didn't expect to find sleep so quickly, but she did. Her eyes fluttered shut as she drifted off with the music.

_Sometimes quiet is violent_

_I find it hard to hide it_

_My pride is no longer inside_

_It's on my sleeve_

_My skin will scream_

_Reminding me of_

_Who I killed inside my dream_

_I hate this car that I'm driving_

_There's no hiding for me_

_I'm forced to deal with what I feel_

_There is no distraction to mask what is real_

_I could pull the steering wheel_

* * *

He had been perched in the tree outside her window when she had come home. Damon had gotten bored and ended up waiting for Nilin to return. It wasn't that he was watching out for her, it was honestly just boredom. That**'s** what living for an eternity does for you. He kept his eyes on her as she went up to the bedroom and looked on as she scuttled around the room. But then he saw her start crying, which confused him because a moment ago he had seen her beautiful smile. Now the tears leaking from her blues eyes troubled him.

Finally she turned off the lights. He waited a little until he was sure she was sleeping. Then in one graceful movement he pushed off the tree branch and through the open window. He landed on the hard wood floors soundlessly and he smiled to himself in the dark.

He walked over to the sleeping girl's bedside and looked down at her. Nilly was lying on her side, a blue comforter nuzzled around her. Gently he brushed a curl behind her ear. Something about watching Nilin sleep that amused him.

Out of habit, Damon sent his mind out to try and find hers. Usually he couldn't, she had a barrier around her thanks to the vervain she constantly wore. Pesky little herb. He expected to hit the barrier again, but instead he broke through and became immersed in Nilin's mind. Suddenly, he was seeing everything that was running through her head.

Nilly moved in her sleep, snapping Damon out of her mind. He watched her carefully until she settled back down and her breathing became even again. Well, wasn't it his lucky day. No vervain, he realized. Like flexing a muscle, he sent his power out again. As he found her mind he was surprised to see himself in her dreams. It was more of a memory though, of him telling her about Katherine. He could feel everything she was felling at that moment; betrayal, disappointment, loneliness.

Suddenly the dream changed, Nilly was standing at the Mystic Falls High School dance. She had on that little black dress of hers as she looked around frantically. Damon watched as she barged out of the school and began running through the parking lot until she reached the woods.

What could she possibly be running from? Damon followed her dream as the scene changed again. He didn't recognize this place, it looked like some parking garage with lines of cars and lights above them. Nilly was frozen, fear in her eyes.

Damon pulled out of her mind to look down at Nilin. Her arms were clutching the blanket around, her eyes were squeezed shut and he swore he could see a slight glisten of wetness on her cheeks. Something stirred in him, he wasn't enjoying this. He almost couldn't stand feeling the terror, her terror. The scrawny human part of him wanted to make her fear go away.

So once again he entered her mind, this time taking control of the dream. They were sitting on a bench in the Common, like they had many times before. No one was around, complete serenity. The sun shown bright, and there was a light summer breeze. Nilly squinted her eyes in the sunlight as she blinked a couple times at him.

"Damon?" she asked her voice innocent.

"Dreaming about me again, princess," he said coolly. He watched as her smile widened and she started to laugh.

"This is the strangest dream," Nilin groaned. "It's like my subconscious is on crack," she said, shaking her head as she looked around. "We're in the Common. What is this, our place now?" she asked, giving him a little smirk.

Damon laugh, "Our place. Yeah, why not?"

Nilin nodded, satisfied with that answer as she angled her head back to soak in the summer. Damon's face sobered as he looked at her and said, "You're safe now, Nilin. Nothing can hurt you here."

A smile came to her lips as she continued to stare up at the sun. "No, not with how my head works. My mind can be a very scary place," she said.

"And why's that?" he questioned.

"It holds the truth," Nilin told him with a wink. She rested her head on his shoulder and he felt her relax into him. He wanted to leave her in this gentle peacefulness but he was curious about something.

"What were you running from, Nilin?" he asked. He felt Nilly stiffen a little but she chuckled. It sounded strained and forced.

"Stalking me in my head now, are you?" she joked but then she looked up at Damon, her memorizing blue eyes swimming. "Him," she answered simply.

He wasn't going to push it any farther. Damon let her lay her head back down and then he gave her back control, stepping out of her mind. He stared down at her now. She was grinning slightly, her lips parted. Damon brushed his fingers across her cheek. She made a noise in her sleep that almost sounded like a purr. He chuckled quietly to himself, but then froze. Nilly rolled on to her back, her head turning to the side.

At first he froze because he thought she was waking up, but she still slept soundly. He was now frozen, his eyes locked on her face. Her delicate lower lip was split and she had a faded cut under her left eye. The pillow had been hiding it but now he could see it.

He felt anger and rage well up in him as his eyes looked over her and he saw the wound on her neck. Two distinctive puncture wounds, in a large half circle on her throat. It was the sign of a vampire bite. Not a careful one either, one whose intentions were to inflict pain. The way her delicate skin was ripped at, made Damon clench his fist in the darkness.

He wanted to hunt down whoever did this to Nilin. That's when he made the connection with the 'him' she kept mentioning. Could that 'him' be the one who had done this? Was this the reason she had been crying? The reason why she wears vervain? Was Damon not the first vampire Nilin has come across?

Suddenly Damon was hungry for answers, but he knew he wasn't getting them tonight. He ran his fingers over the bite on her neck gently, causing Nilly to turn her head towards him. He stopped dead, but her eyes were still shut. He bent down slowly, and lightly touched his lips to hers. Then he was gone, back into the night.

* * *

She woke extremely early the next morning, at least she had gotten a few hours of sleep in. The house was still silent, Nilly got up quietly. She put a white long sleeve shirt on. It was formfitting, hiding the marks on her arm perfectly. Some cover up and a simple side braid concealed the healing wound on her neck.

Chaining her bracelet back on her wrist, Nilly went downstairs to the dark kitchen and made herself a cup of tea from the special blend Mildred had given her. A few minutes later, she was on the front porch, sitting on the steps. The sun had pushed its way through the horizon as it gave the sky a pinkish color. The air smelled like summer as sprinklers began to go off, watering lawns and slicking the sidewalks.

Nilly could hear a dog barking in the distance, a small dog with a high pitched yap. Someone's car roared to life as she heard the sound of a door closing. Nilly just sat there, stretching her legs out in front of her, sipping tea. The screaming of emotions inside her made up for her silence as she waited for her family to wake up.

Time escaped her, she counted the number of cars that passed instead. She had counted ten by the time she heard movement in the house. It sounded like Jeremy was awake, and maybe Jenna. Nilly continued to rest on the steps. Four more cars later she heard Elena's voice muffled from the front door. Nilly stood up tenderly, empty mug in her hand and opened the front door. She stepped in quietly, shutting the door softly behind her. When she turned around, she saw three heads popping out of the kitchen.

Suddenly she was being rushed at, Jenna and Elena hugging her and Jeremy lifting her up to swing her around. He placed her back on the ground, she stumbled a little, but Elena caught her by wrapping her arms around Nilly's neck. Somehow they ended up in the kitchen and Nilly's empty mug was refilled with steaming coffee. Jenna kissed her on the side of the head as she poured milk into Nilly's cup. They had a lot of questions, the first of which was "What happened to your face?"

Nilly expected that, so she looked down at her cup of coffee like she was embarrassed and said "I kind of fell off the bed again. I think I did this," she indicated her cracked lip and fading cut, "on the nightstand by the bed."

There was a moment of silence, and then they all started laughing. Nilly shook her head with a smile, at least they believed it. But when she looked up, Elena was staring at her strangely. Luckily she didn't have a chance to say anything because Jenna began asking about Nilly's dad.

Nilly told them what happened, and summarized what the doctor had told her. She got looks of sympathy, but no one said to her "I'm sorry", because they all knew her well enough that she had enough sorrow from people and despised when someone said that to her. Instead they asked what they could do.

Nilly just smiled and said "He's taking this more seriously now. He was worried about me, you know, just wanting me to be happy. He told me himself that he rather me up here with you guys, then taking care of him. Besides, he's not really alone. Mildred's with him."

That started the questions on how Mildred was, how Bonnie liked the trip and what Nilly was planning to do all talked until Jenna took a look at her watch, cursed and then ran out the door, late for work again. Nilly followed Elena and Jeremy into the family room. She plopped herself on the couch, laying her legs across Elena's lap. She didn't feel tired, but she must have looked it because Elena suggested they spend a lazy day inside. "Watch some movies, order take out later. What do you say?" she said.

"I'm up for that." Nilly said. Jeremy backed away slowly.

"I'd love to spend girls' night in with you, but I have plans," he said. Nilly threw a pillow at him.

"Stop doing that!" he complained, but Nilly and Elena were too busy laughing. He mumbled something and then went upstairs. Nilly and Elena looked at each other and busted out laughing again. Jeremy left a little while later, smacking them in the head witha pillow as he walked by.

Elena when upstairs, grabbing all the pillows and blankets as she could and dumped them in front of the TV in the living room. Nilly had grabbed a stack of DVD's and a freshly popped bag of popcorn. She settled herself next to Elena in the mound of blankets, feeling like they were eleven again. They laughed and watched movies all day, completely care-free. By the time evening came around the girls were starving. Elena ordered from their favorite Chinese place, while Nilly straightened out the family room.

"Do you mind if Stefan came over?" Elena asked after she hung up the phone. Nilly shook her head.

"Of course not," she said. "I like Stefan, he has a sweet heart."

Elena looked at her, blushing slightly. "Yeah, I got pretty lucky didn't I?"

"Very." Nilly said, smiling. "You deserve someone like him, Elena."

"No one deserves anything," she said, walking into the kitchen. Nilly looked at her confusingly as she followed her. She sat down on one of the stools by the island.

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Nilly asked, eyeing her cousin. Elena just shrugged.  
"It just feels like we're dealt more of the bad than the good. So who decides who deserves what?" she said. Nilly thought a moment.

"Maybe that's the beauty of it. We go through so much hell that the smallest of good things seems great. We're able to enjoy things that everyone else takes for granted and when something extremely great happens it feels like it should make up for the crap we deal with." Nilly said, leaning her elbows on the island's counter top. Elena smiled at her, leaning her elbows on it too.

"When'd you become so deep, Nee?" she asked. Nilly laughed, just as the doorbell rang. "Food or Stefan?" Elena asked, standing.

"Hopefully food, because I don't think you'd like it if I ate your boyfriend." Nilly answered with a smile. Elena rolled her eyes as she went to get the door. Nilly laid her head on the table, a few minutes later Elena walked in with Stefan behind her.

"Damn," Nilly said, lifting her head up. "I was hoping for General Tao," Nilly explained.

Stefan just chuckled as Elena walked over. "She threatened to eat you," she said. "She called you sweet, too." Nilly eyed Elena.

"Lies," she said. "I'd never do that."

"I'm sure you wouldn't." Stefan laughed. "How was your trip? Everything okay with you**r** dad?" he asked. Nilly smile at him, he actually cared. She could see it in his eyes, and the way his forehead crease**d** with worry.

"It was a long tiring trip, glad to be back. He's doing fine, they were running some test when I left. He said he'd call me with the results." Nilly explained.

"Well he'll be fine, I'm sure of it," he said.

"I know, it's just the not knowing that bothers me the most." Stefan nodded in sympathy. The doorbell rang again, Nilly head popped up.

"And there's you**r** General Tao." Stefan said with a smile. A few minutes later they were all eating Chinese food. Well, everyone but Stefan, who said he had eaten before he came.

"You sure you don't want an eggroll?" Nilly said, eyeing him.

He chuckled, "I'm good, thanks."

Nilly shrugged. "You don't know what you're missing," she said, taking a bite out of one. Nilly was sitting across from Stefan and Elena in the kitchen, food spread out on the island. Elena was leaning on Stefan as she popped a dumpling in her mouth.

"Very lady like." Nilly joked. Elena just eyed her.

Nilly heard a phone ring, she reached for her pocket to see if it was hers when Stefan said, "Oh, that's mine. I'm going to go take this." He kissed Elena's head and left the room. Nilly made a kissy face at Elena, puckering her lips. "Jerk," she said as she threw a fried noodle at Nilly.

"Hey!" Nilly laughed as she reached for a hand full of noodles. She went to pull back when Elena grabbed her arm. "What-?" Nilly stopped, Elena's eyes were fixed on her wrist. Nilly tried to pull out of Elena's grip. She tugged her arm back, quickly sliding down her white sleeve, covering the bites on the inside of her arm. The room had gone silent, Nilly looked up to find Elena's horror stricken eyes burning holes into her. Nilly swallowed hard, and looked back down.

"Who did that to you?" Elena asked softly, her voice cracking.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Part two out of three up! Clearly someone has some explaining to do...

Thanks for reading guys and thanks for all the new Followers and Favorites. It really means so so so much to me. I'll be back Friday with the final addition to Chapter Thirteen. You finally gets to hear a part of Nilin's back story. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed. Keep up the good work.

Favorite, Follow & Review.

RLS

**Featured Songs:**

Leave Out All the Rest by Linkin Park

Car Radio by Twenty-One Piolts


	22. Chapter Thirteen: The Victim's SecretPt3

**Chapter Thirteen: The Victim's Secret- Part 3**

Time seemed to freeze around them. Elena felt like she was about to faint as she stared at her cousin. Nilly's wrist, she had seen it. It couldn't be, but what other explanation was there for the bite marks on Nilin's inner arm? Elena knew enough that this wasn't done by an animal, she knew the answer to this. Deep down though, she needed to hear it from Nilin.

Nilly wouldn't look up at her.

"I said who did this to you, Nilly?" she repeated. Could Damon have done this? Elena hadn't seen him since the last time she was at the boarding house, but when was the last time Nilly saw Damon? Elena had a feeling that Nilly was keeping some things from her, but _this_. This was Elena's worst nightmare.

Did Damon actually do this? Elena felt ice running through her veins.

"Nilin!" Elena yelled. Nilly's eyes snapped up, she had tears in her eyes. "Who did this?"

Nilly shook her head, a tear escaping. "Elena…" her voice shook. "Please, not now."

Elena stood up, pushing the stool back. "Not now? Then when?"

Nilly kept shaking her head, she was standing too. "Never, it's better if-"

"Better? Somebody hurt you, you have bite marks on your arm!Why won't you talk to me?" Elena yelled, close to tears. Nilly looked up at her, clearly battling something inside.

"You wouldn't believe me!" Nilly yelled.

"Try me, then." Elena shot back. Nilly looked down again, her lips pressed in a tight line.

"What else do you know about the supernatural, Elena?" she asked her softly. Elena shut her mouth. What else did _Nilly_ know about the supernatural? Elena didn't know anymore. Was Nilly aware of vampires? What could Elena tell her with Stefan in the other room? But if Damon had done this to her, did it really even matter anymore?

"I know about vampires, Nilly," she said hesitantly. Nilly face was blank, her eyes wide. There was a moment of absolute silence.

"Of course, you do." Elena stared at her, eyebrows knitting together. "I don't know whether to be surprised that you know or upset." Nilly said, rubbing her forehead.

"Why would you say that?" Elena asked, but Nilin ignored her.

"Just answer me this, how?" Nilly asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. Elena scrambled for an answer. She was panicking. What could she say?

"When Bonnie told me about her being a witch, I was curious-"

"Why?" Nilly pressed, cutting Elena off.

How did this end up as Nilly questioning her? Elena tried to come up with an answer.

"Because a vampire killed my best friend, Lexi."

Elena jumped and turned quickly. She didn't hear Stefan come in but now he stood in the door way, hands in his pockets. He nodded at Elena, indicating that he had heard everything.

She turned back around to Nilly who was staring at him. Elena played along with what Stefan said. It wasn't really a lie. A vampire _did _kill Lexi, who _was _Stefan's best friend. Only twist was that Lexi was a vampire herself and Damon was the one who killed her. That had happened before Nilin came back to town. Elena had known about vampires months before then and it was clearly not how she found out about them.

"How do you know a vampire killed your friend, Lexi?" Nilly asked, her voice shaking the littlest walked over to Elena, putting his hand on her back.

"Because we saw it," he said, again tellingthe truth. They had watched as Damon drove a stake through her heart outside The Grill back in the spring. Nilly sat down slowly, putting her head in her hands. She started crying again. Elena felt the burn of tears in her eyes.

"What happened, Nil?" she asked. Nilly's eyes went from Elena to Stefan and back. Then she slowly moved the hair off her shoulder and took a napkin to her neck. Elena watched her carefully unsure of what she was doing, until Elena saw it, the bite mark on the side of her neck. Her mouth dropped. Nilly gathered the now make-up stained napkin in her hand and took a deep breath.

"His name is Christian," she said. Elena stared at her with absolute shock. She couldn't take her eyes off the bite mark. It finally sunk in that a vampire did this. A vampire attacked her cousin.

Elena sat down on the stool, watching Nilly the entire time.

"Chr-Christian?" Elena asked. So Damon didn't do this, he didn't hurt her. Elena was confused at the flood of relief that washed over her. Nilly nodded, trying to wipe away the tears that were wetting her cheeks.

"I met him almost ten months ago." Nilly said, "Last August."

"Ten months ago? How long has-" Elena went to ask, but Nilly held up her hand. Elena noticed it was slightly shaking.

"Let me just get it all out there while I can. It should make sense then," she said. Elena closed her mouth and nodded for her to continue. "I met him last August, a few weeks before school started. He was a grade older than me and a major flirt. He was really sweet to me at first and I couldn't image why." Nilly said. Her head was down as she shook it, with a bitter laughter.

"We got more intense, more serious. Everyone thought we were the cutest couple. He'd take me out on dates, and bought me gifts. I fell hard, really hard. I thought that this was when my life would start to turn around," she continued. She looked up at Elena, tears starting again, her bottom lip shaking a little.

"That's when I started blacking out, I had holes in my memory. I would remember him picking me up for a date and then I'd wake up in bed or in my car, with no idea what happened. Then I started getting these weird puncture wounds, careful two holes on my neck or wrist. They'd be healing by the time I woke up, and I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out how I was getting them."

Elena watched her cousin talking, stunned and angry at what she was hearing. She couldn't say anything. She felt the shock and horror roll through her as Stefan squeezed her hand. Nilly kept on explaining. Knowing that if she stopped now, she'd never be able to get the rest out.

"I got suspicious and made a connection to the wounds and Christian, but nothing else. I never confronted him on it, I couldn't. I didn't want him to think I was a werido or something," she laughed again. "One day last winter, I was talking with Mildred when I told her about it. She went pale, like she was about to pass out. That's when she told me everything, about vampire, witches, all the supernatural stuff. All those storybook monsters that I used to tell you about to scare you when we were younger were suddenly true." Nilly said, and then she lifted her hand. "When she was finished explaining everything to me, Mil made me this." A silver chain hung around her wrist, it had an oval charm on it with the letter 'N' in the center.

"Vervain." Elena said softly. Nilly nodded her head. "I guess you know all about that," she said then she continued with her story.

"I thought she was crazy. I mean, how could I believe something like that? Christian was so nice to me, I was happy. But I wore it, just to calm Mildred down. Then that weekend, Christian asked me to go up to Ridge Hope with him. It's a mountain ridge in the forest a little outside our town. We…" Nilly stopped, shuttering. She took a deep breath and started again. "We were parked out on the ridge, in his car. He kissed me, then my neck. Christian, he-he looked at me and I noticed something wrong with his eyes. I remember gasping but he put his hand over my mouth." She stopped again, struggling to get the last words out.

"You're okay, Nilly. You're safe." Stefan said, calming her down and urging her to keep talking. Elena watched as she took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"He looked at me and said "Don't scream, you know I hate it when you scream." I was so confused, that's when everything Mil said came rushing back at me. I tried to get out of the car. I remember grabbing the door handle, but he was fast. Incredibly fast and he grabbed me, forcing me back around. That's when he bit my neck. The pain was terrible and I couldn't scream, I couldn't do anything. And then he was done. He pushed me back and I hit my head on the window and blacked out. When I came through I was on my couch in my living room." Nilly's voice cracked as she looked down at the counter. Elena felt something drip off her chin, she touched her cheek and realized she was crying. She wiped the tears away and cleared her throat.

"What happened next?" she asked. Elena realized she was squeezing Stefan's hand half to death. Nilly took a deep breath, rubbing her eyes. Elena noticed the look on Nilly's face, she was determined to get this out.

"Christian knocked on my door the next night, I didn't let him come in but he just laughed and stared at me weird. He told me to move out of the way. I told him no, and he got angry. He pushed me out of the doorway and came in. I was scared out of my mind, I didn't know what to do. Then, I confronted him. I told him we were over, that I didn't want to see him again. He went berserk, crazy. He started ranting about how I needed him and that without him I'm nothing. Then he grabbed me and slammed me against the wall. He did that eye thing. I didn't know it then, but he was trying to compel me. He said for me to forget trying to break up with him and that I loved him. I pushed him back and told him to get out. That's when he changed, hi-his eyes." Nilly shivered. She bit down on her lip.

Elena stared at her, frozen. It felt as if her heart was being ripped out. The pain she saw in Nilly's eyes brought tears to hers. Elena looked up at Stefan, his eyes were on Nilly. The look on his face mimicked Elena's. Nilly continued to speak, her voice sounding tired.

"He bit me again, but I fought back. I can't recall what I grabbed, but I grabbed something and stabbed him with it." She stopped short, her voice wavering again. She shook her head and looked up. "Anyway, I woke up a few hours later, bleeding still. He was done being careful, he nearly ripped my throat out. He came back around, acting as if nothing happened, but he began getting violent with me. I was scared, terrified. I tried to leave him, but he threatened my dad and Mildred. Christian said if I tried anything, blood would spill, including mine. So I kept quiet, I put up with it all to keep them safe. It became a game with him, one I was always losing. He'd feed and leave, almost every night."

She stopped and rolled her sleeve up. At first Elena couldn't see what she was trying to show her, she felt Stefan stiffen next to her. That's when Elena saw it. Light pale scars all over Nilly's arm.

"Oh Nilly." Elena gasped, putting her hands to her mouth. She got up and went over to her. Grabbing Nilin's arm, Elena stared at it, running her finger over the lightly raised scars. Elena looked up at Nilly, who was still staring down at her arm.

"It got worse, that's when Mildred made a plan for me to leave and that's how I ended up on your doorstep. I wasn't supposed to go back. But then the whole thing happened with my dad and I had to. I thought I could go back and then leave without him knowing. What ajoke that was." Nilly looked up, her eyes watering again. "I was leaving when he found me in the hospital parking garage. He did this to me," she finished. "Christian."

Elena grabbed Nilly's hands. "So you didn't fall off the bed?" she queried.

Nilly shook her head. "No."

"Why would you lie to us about this?" Elena asked.

Nilly started at her, her eyebrows pulled together. "I nearly died the other night, Elena. He threatened to kill my father. The only reason me and my dad are still alive is because of Mildred. How the hell was I supposed to tell you? You were never supposed to find out." Nilly said back, her voice growing louder.

"You weren't going to tell me that you were being stalked by a vampire? Was I supposed to find out at your funeral?" she said.

"I can't lose you, Elena! He can't know about you or Jenna or Jeremy! He would kill you, do you understand me? He's a vampire! They're heartless and cruel. Christian thinks he owns me, that I'm his and no one else's. The only thing I have left to lose is you guys! I didn't tell you to protect you." Nilly said, shaking Elena."I can't lose you too." Her voice dropped off on the last syllable.

Elena hugged Nilly, holding her tight. Nilly was shaking, holding on to Elena for dear life. They stood like that for what seemed like forever. Elena wasn't sure she had grasped everything Nilly had told them.

Her cousin, the one she vowed to protect, had gone through this and was able to smile. She was furious that Nilly had kept this from her this entire time, but she was grateful that she told her. Elena wiped her eyes, pulling away from Nilly. "We'll figure something out, Nilly. We always do," she said, trying to smile.

"No we won't. I'm going to figure something out. I don't want you involved." Nilly said. Elena just stared at her, surreal.

Stefan spoke up coming over to Nilly. "You just can't ignore this," he said. Nilly sighed.

"I know, but I've been dealing with this for a while now and I don't need anyone getting hurt. I just really want to deal with this by myself." Nilly said.

Elena could see Nilly was done, she was running on low and so was Elena. "Fine, you can deal with this alone until tomorrow," she said. Nilly grunted, closing her eyes.

"Elena's right," Stefan said. "You're not alone anymore. You can't be when we can help you."  
"How? How can you honestly help me without dying? He's crazy Stefan! Insane and dangerous!" she yelled. Stefan put his hands on Nilly's shoulders.

He spoke calmly, "We're not going to let you get hurt and I'm defiantly not going to let Elena get hurt. Trust me, Nilly. If you let me, I can keep you safe," he said.

Nilly looked down, rubbing her nose. "Fine. I'll trust you, Salvatore." Nilly said.

"Thank you," he said. "Who else knows about this?"

Nilly looked up at him. "Only Mildred… and Bonnie," she answered.

Elena looked at her, confused. "Bonnie?" she said.

Nilly threw her hands up. "Mildred told her! What was I supposed to do? I was passed out upstairs," she mumbled. Elena shook her head, too tired to do anything else.

"Fine," she said. The tension in the room seemed to disappear, as if everyone took a long needed breath.

"Nilin," Stefan said, and Nilly looked at him. "What matters is that you're safe now. You are at home and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe here," he promised her. "You are one of the strongest people I have met, if I didn't see it before then I've seen it tonight. Everything's going to be okay."

Nilin gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Stefan."

"I think I should get going." Stefan said, returning her smile.

"I'll walk you out." Elena took his hand and walked him to the front door.

"You okay?" he asked.

Elena swallowed hard, holding back the tears. "No," she said losing it. Stefan held her face between his hands, stroking her cheek. Tears ran down her face, he wiped them away. "Oh god Stefan, what are we going to do?" she asked, leaning her head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her, feeling like he was holding her together. "We are going to help her, Elena. Nothing will happen to her," he said as rested his chin on her head.

"Thank you so much Stefan, I don't think I could have handled tonight if you weren't here," she said. Elena pulled back and reached up to kiss him. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too." He kissed her again, making her heart flutter. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" She nodded. "Good night, Elena." Stefan said.

"Good night." Elena closed the door and went back into the kitchen. Nilly was sitting on the counter, looking down, playing with her bracelet.

"Nilly," she said quietly. Nilly looked up. Elena nodded her head to the stairs. "Come on," she said. Nilly hopped off the counter followed Elena upstairs.

A few minutes later they were both in Elena's bed, their heads on the same pillow, arms linked. They stared at the ceiling for a while silently.

Nilly turned her head, looking at Elena and whispered, "I'm scared." Elena almost broke down right there because of the look on Nilly's face. She hushed her, squeezing her hands. "No more secrets, okay?" Nilly said, drowsily.

Elena just leaned her forehead on Nilly's and hugged her. "Okay."

They laid like that until they both fell asleep.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So here it is, the last edition to Chapter Thirteen. A lot of new information and a new perspective on Elena and Nilin. Tell me what you guys think though! Thanks again for reading. Favorite, Follow & Review.

Have a lovely weekend, guys :)  
RLS


	23. Chapter Fourteen: The Vampire's Secret 1

**Chapter Fourteen: The Vampire's Secret- Part 1**

Nilin woke up before Elena, like usual. Actually she was awake before anyone in the house. She popped her head up to look at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was going on eight o'clock. Nilly laid back down on the pillow and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. Staring at the ceiling, she tried to comprehend how she ended up spewing every one of her dark secrets out on the table last night. All her skeletons were out of the closet and running free.

Stefan, Bonnie and Elena knew everything now and Nilin was left there feeling like her control on this situation was slipping. She squeezed her eyes close. Process, accept and move on. That's what she had to do, right? But for some reason she couldn't quite do that.

When she thought about it, Nilly could feel a bit of weight lifted off of her shoulders. On the other hand she was now carrying around the fear of what could happen to Elena, Bonnie and Stefan. She could look after herself, Nilin was good at that, but now there were three more people she had to protect. Maybe not Bonnie, she had magic on her side, but Elena and Stefan were just humans that had no idea how cruel and evil vampires were. That's what scared her the most, the fact they were so defenseless against Christian.

She wanted to stay in MysticFalls for how ever long she could and enjoy it. Being here was the happiest she'd felt in a long time, minus the bumps along the way. But that was just Caroline, who in the whole scheme of things was unnoticeable… and Damon, who was more like a mountain then a bump but she'd save that pain for another time.

She promised herself something then, no matter what happens, no one would get hurt. But, if she wanted to fight this thing alone, she'd need to do some looking into.

When she looked up at the clock again, it was 9:00. Nilly sat up, stretching her arms out. The bites on her arm were almost completely faded now. Whatever Mildred did, it caused them to heal faster than normal. Nilly shrugged it off as she shook Elena a little.

"Mmm, what?" she mumbled.

"I'm going to go out for a little." Nilly said. Elena rolled away from her and gave her a thumbs-up. Nilly scooted out of bed and made her way to the guestroom. With her newly reloaded closet Nilly got dressed quickly. She put on a simple black cropped top, showing off a bit of skin below her navel. She threw on a pair of white jean shorts and her usual pair of converses along with that. Running her fingers through her hair, she grabbed her shoulder bag and car keys.

As Nilly stepped out of her room, she could hear movement from behind Jenna's door. Quickly she scurried down the stairs and out the door before anyone noticed. She made her way into town which was already busy with activity. She parked her Jeep and crossed the street. Opening the wooden door, Nilly heard the chime of a bell as the scent of books filled her nose. She closed the door behind her and looked around, no one was at the front counter.

"Hello?" she called. That's when she saw a head pop out from behind a shelf. Nilly gasped, jumping back. Magnolia came over smiling, taking her earphones out. Her long brown hair hung in a ponytail tipped with red. She was wearing black shorts and a shear white top with the silhouette of a wolf howling on it, under that she had on a black spaghetti strap shirt.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you," she swung the headphones in her hands. "Music was a little loud." Nilly laughed, smiling back at her.

"It's okay, I'm just a jumpy person." Magnolia grinned as she went around the counter and sat on the stool behind it.

"I think people do yoga for that," she said.

"Yeah, you also need coordination for yoga so we don't really go well." Nilly joked, leaning on the counter. Just then Nilly heared someone coming down the rickety staircase, she turned to see Shellie bouncing towards them.

"Well, look who it is," she sang as she came over to the counter. "Long time, no see." Her very long hair flew around her shoulders, one small braid going straight down it. She was wearing a white tank top with a long necklace that had a small dream catcher hanging from it. Her hands were looped in the pockets of her tan khaki shorts.

"Why, hello there." Nilly said, grinning.

Shellie went over to Magnolia bumping her hip. "What brings you to Reader & Seethe's, the best bookstore in MysticFalls?!" she asked dramatically, raising her sharp eyebrows.

"The only book store in MysticFalls," Magnolia scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Nilly laughed. "Well I needed a place to breathe and I was hoping you could help me with something," she said.

"Sure, what's up?" Magnolia asked her, sitting up straighter.

"This is going to sound weird, but what books do you have on vampires?" she asked, "And the real stuff, not the storybook Dracula."

She expected the girls to laugh at her or at least look at her like she head three heads. Instead, all she got was an eyebrow raised form Magnolia and a little smirk from Shellie.

"I think we have something perfect for you," Shellie said as she turned and headed for the stairs, motioning for Nilly to follow. As they went up to the second floor, Nilly saw the huge dog lounging on the sofa.

"Morning, Lee-Roy." Nilly called. He lifted his furry head and woofed at her. She smiled at him before turning back to Shellie. She had pulled a box off one of the selves and was now kneeling on the floor, removing the lid. She picked out a book from the box, leather bound and old. Shellie dusted it off and handed it to Nilly.

"What is it?" she asked, looking the ancient thing over.

"It's a very old book from the 1800's. Supposedly a time when MysticFalls ran ramped with vampires." Magnolia explained, walking over and sitting next to Lee-Roy. He laid his head in her lap as she began stroking his head. Nilly sat on the other sofa, folding her legs under her, book in lap.

"Ah, yes. The tall tales of MysticFalls." Nilly laughed. "So do you believe in these?" Nilly asked.

Shellie came over and plopped down on the other side of Lee-Roy. "Well, all those stories had to start from somewhere. There had to be a truth in them, right?" she said.

"Right," Nilly said, looking down at the book.

"Yes, those big scary vampires, right Nilly?" Magnolia asked. Nilly looked up at her. She wasn't sure what to say.

"Right," she said again, laughing nervously.

"Do you believe in them?" Shellie asked looking at her.

"Um, them?" Nilly questioned.

"Vampires," Mags winked. These girls were so strange. Why were they asking her about this stuff?

Nilin didn't know how to answer. The weird thing was that she was willing to answer. With a shrug, Nilly answered. "Yeah, I do," she said. "Why? Do you?"

Mags and Shellie just looked at each other and then gave Nilin a strange smile. "Well, then you must know some things about them?" Shellie asked, crossing her legs.

Nilly shrugged. "Just what I've been told in scary stories," she answered.

Magnolia nodded, "You know they have to be invited in to go into a house, you know how they can control minds?" she suggested.

Nilly eyed her. "Yeah," she said slowly. "But how do you know about these things?"

Shellie and Magnolia looked at each other, then Shellie straightened up. "Everyone has their stories," she said. Nilly unfolded her legs and placed her elbows on her knees, leaning forward.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," she said, grinning.

Magnolia stood up, Lee-Roy hopping off the couch. "You're not ready to tell us yet." Magnolia said to Nilly. "But when you are, we'll be here."

"What makes you so sure that I have stories?" Nilly narrowed her eyes as she stood up.

"Like I said, everyone has their own stories," was all Mags replied with. They were odd ones, that was for sure. It was obvious to Nilin that they weren't just two small town girls, but it was also obvious that they weren't a threat to her. For some reason Nilly wanted to talk to them about this, but then she realized Magnolia was right. She wouldn't make it through without breaking down, and she really didn't feel like crying anymore.

"Besides, you don't really want to be here do you? There's somewhere else you want to go, we're just second best," she continued. Nilly sighed, shaking her head again.

She looked up at Magnolia scrunching her nose, "No. You're right."

"Of course I'm right, I'm awesome," she said, smiling.

"You're creepy that's what you are," Shellie said, coming up from behind them. "So, Nilly, where _do_ you want to be?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Nilly bit her lip, and shrugged.

"I should get going, then. How much for the book?" Nilly asked.

"On the house," Magnolia winked. "Thanks for stopping by, Nilly." Nilly left the store and got back in her Jeep, with a sudden rush of confidence she started car.

* * *

By the time she found the boarding house it was late in the afternoon. Even though Nilly's known about the house since she was a kid, she had never been up there. Nilly drove down the long windy driveway slowly. She peeked out her window at the house, it was astonishing. The boarding house was a vast building of rust-red bricks made from clay, and it was flanked with age old cedars and maples. All but one of the windows were dark, shades drawn closed. Nilly just hoped someone was home.

She peeked in her rearview mirror. Scrunching her hair up a little, she attempted to control the fly-a-ways. The gash under her eye had fade remarkably, only a soft pink line where the skin was once cut. Her lip wasn't as lucky. All the swelling had gone down long ago, but her bottom lip still held a red split. It didn't hurt any more, unless she accidentally bit down on it. The wound on her neck was completely invisible thanks to some very expensive cover-up. She checked to make sure she didn't have anything in her teeth and then opened her car door.

Nilly walked up to the double doors, taking a deep breath she rang the doorbell. She waited, rocking back on her heels. Letting out a sigh, she rang it once more. No answer, no sound. Nilly went to knock on the door. When her fist tapped it the door creaked open. Her eyebrows rose as she called out, "Hello? Anyone home?"

There was no answer. She stepped into a large foyer with a flight of stairs to her left. The banisters, like the door, was natural light oak so polished that it seemed to glow. The inside of the house was dim, but she could see the wooden walls, hard oak floors and very expensive looking rugs.

"Hello? Stefan? Damon?" she asked, her voice echoing up the staircase. She walked down the long hallway, curiosity gripping her. The wall arced open to a side room, she stepped into the large entrance of what look to be a living room. A long leather couch sat in the middle with a black iron coffee table in front of it. A grand fireplace sat on one wall, a book case on the other. A large stereo system that seemed out of place and two old looking sofa chairs cloaked in red were on the third wall. Two large windows were across from her, red velvet curtains covering them. The room was silent and empty. Nilly kept walking down the hallway. She felt a strange pull inside her chest to something as her feet patted against the rug. She stopped and looked in the next room.

This room was brighter. A crystal chandelier hung above her, Nilly looked up admiring it as it threw rainbows on the white walls. Light oak trim lined the walls, matching the wood floors beneath her. Brightly colors painting hung on every wall. Another small fire place sat in there, this one white with delicate wood designs. A huge window, with a cushioned window seat, was open, letting the light in. Even though this room seemed magical it wasn't because all those things. What made Nilly's eyes widen was the concert grand piano that sat in the middle of the room. It was made of a dark oak, its lid open and bench out. It was gorgeous.

Nilly walked over to it and sat down slowly. Her fingers swept over the keys silently. Lining her fingers up correctly, she played a cord. It rang through the room making Nilly smile at the sound. She scooted the bench closer and sat up straighter. She struck another cord, and then another, moving her fingers faster until she established a melody. She began to hum softly with the piano. With her head down staring at the piano as she played, her mother's gentle voice came to her mind. Nilly began to sing the words;

_"Hello darkness, my old friend  
I've come to talk with you again  
Because a vision softly creeping  
Left its seeds while I was sleeping  
And the vision that was planted in my brain  
Still remains  
Within the sound of silence.  
In restless dreams I walked alone  
Narrow streets of cobblestone  
'Neath the halo of a street lamp  
I turned my collar to the cold and damp  
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light  
That split the night  
And touched the sound of silence."_

Her voice faded out, her fingers picking up speed, swooping over the keys. She looked up from the piano, something caught her eye. She looked over to the door way and her hands froze, the last chord hanging in the air. Nilly put her hands in her lap and swallowed hard.

"Hi," she said shyly, her cheeks blushing.

"Hi." Damon smirked at her. He was leaning on the door frame, his charcoal eyes staring at her. He wore a black button up shirt, sleeves rolled up over his crossed arms and dark denim jeans. His dark hair perfectly and recklessly fell over his forehead. Nilly could feel her heart kick up a notch.

"Um, the door was open, I mean, I didn't open it. It opened when I knocked. I-I rang the bell, twice, and- I got your note before I left. You, uh, you wanted to talk." Nilly floundered, her cheeks burning. She shook her head. "I should just go," she said about to stand up.

"Wait," Damon said lightly, pushing off the wall and walking towards her. "What was that you were playing?" Nilly sunk back down on the stool.

"It was something my mom used to sing to me. I can't believe I still remembered all of it," she answered looking down.

He came closer to her, still smirking. "It was beautiful," he said.

She looked back up, finding his eyes on hers. She smiled, "Thank you."

"What else can you play?" he asked.

Was Damon Salvatore asking her to play for him? Nilin was suddenly terrified that all those years of lessons from her mother would go flying out the wind. With nervous laughter, she turned back around to the piano slowly, sitting up.

"Well, I'm a little rusty but-" her hands began to move, a new rhythm emerging, a slower deeper rhythm. With his eyes on her, she took a shaky nervous breath and began to sing softly.

_"As much as I'd like the past not to exist  
It still does  
And as much as I'd like to feel like I belong here  
I'm just as scared as you  
I have nothing left  
And all I feel is this cruel wanting  
We've been falling for all this time  
And now I'm lost in paradise  
Run away, run away  
One day we won't feel this pain anymore  
Take it all away  
Shadows of you  
Cause they won't let me go"_

* * *

He watched as she lost herself in the song, the way she rocked with the beat somewhat and the way her delicate fingers glided over the keys. They way her face looked as she played, the peacefulness of it. Then, she started to sing, the words hitting his vampire tuned ears. Again he had that strange sensation in his chest. A chronic pain that only showed up when Nilly was around, but sometimes Damon welcomed the strange ache.

At that moment, as he watched Nilly, he couldn't compare one thing about her to Elena or Katherine. She was completely her own and he had her right in front of him. The piano faded out with her voice. Then she placed her hands back in her lap and looked up at him. Her blinding blue eyes met his, searched his face like a small child looking for acknowledgement or praise. He softened his expression and leaned his elbows on the piano.

"Did you write that?" he asked her. Nilly nodded, "Yeah a few nights ago. I never put it with piano though." He loved when she talked to him, the way she got all flustered and nervous. His favorite part is when blood would trickle to her cheeks, causing her to blush and stammer even more.

"I like it," he said, giving her one of his charming grins.

The blood flew back to her cheeks as she said, "Thank you." She stood up then, pushing the bench back noisily. "I should leave, I didn't mean to bother you," she said, so innocently the ache in his chest worsened.

"You don't have to go, we do need to finish our chat," he said, getting a smile out of her. "Besides you can't leave before I show you my spectacular hosting skills." Damon smirk as he took her arm. "Come on Nilin, stay a little. What do you have to get back to now that won't be there later?" Damon asked.

He knew he convinced her to stay when he saw the tension leave her shoulders. She let out a sigh. "Fine, I guess I can stay," she said. "For a little," she added when she saw his victory grin.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

This chapter's called The Vampire's Secret for a reason, as far as Nilin knows Mystical Falls is a perfectly normal, non-vampire infested, town. Guess you'll have to read Part 2 now to see what's going to happen. Thanks for reading guys!  
Favorite, Follow & Review!  
RLS

**Featured Songs:**

Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel

Lost in Paradise by Evanescence

**ATTENTION! **So, listen up my fabulous readers, I have added a new element to this story. Its a website called Polyvore and you can create collages and things. I've added to all my past chapters links to see the outfits of your favorite characters in that certain chapter. SO you can take a look back at the chapters or just got to my page at Polyvore and looks through. Just got to: rorileesmith DOT polyvore DOT com

I'm in no way sponsoring anything, this is just a neat website I found out that I've been using and something else I'd love to share with you guys. So if you want to check out this chapters outfits, do the following. Thank you so much guys!

**Check Out the Outfit:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url,

Nilin:

/chapter_fourteen_nilin/set?id=90398660

Magnolia:

/chapter_fourteen_magnolia/set?id=90397685

Shellie:

/chapter_fourteen_shellie/set?id=90398108


	24. Chapter Fourteen: The Vampire's Secret 2

**Chapter Fourteen: The Vampire's Secret- Part 2**

"Perfect. This way miss," he said, holding out his arm. She rolled her eyes at him but looped her arm with his. He led her into their massive parlor and sat her down on one of the velvet couches there. She smiled and pulled her legs under her, obsessively fixing her clothes. He had to admit, it was kind of cute.

Damon walked behind her to the shelf where his expensive boozes and bourbons were. "Want one?" he asked her, raising his eyebrow. She wrinkled her nose, trying to make a decision. "Might as well. Since you're here," Damon added.

Finally she just shrugged and said "Might as well." He handed her a glass filled with whiskey from one of his favorite bottles. She grabbed the glass from him, and took a tender sip, making a 'yum' after she swallowed hard. He laughed as he sat on the sofa next to her.

"It's a little strong," he chuckled.

"Yeah, a bit." Nilin said clearing her throat. Like a champ, though, she took another sip. "You don't know how much I needed this," she leaned back into the couch cushions. "Thanks, Damon."

"You're welcome. I mean you did grace me with your exceptional musical talent." Damon teased.

She eyed him. "About that," she remarked, taking another sip. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I swear I'm not stalking you or anything. I got back yesterday and recalled a certain someone leaving me a note in my car."

"Ah, right," Damon said, placing his glass on the coffee table. "Your father, how is he?"

"Good," Nilin replied as she peered down at her whiskey. "Just some bumps and bruises."

Damon figured it was the perfect time to do a little prying. "How was your trip back home? Everything go okay?" he asked, laying his arms on the couch behind her. Those blues eyes of hers flashed with emotion, too fast for even Damon to recognize.

"Um, it went fine. Yeah, everything was good," she muttered quickly. Damon had to admit he found her very tempting in her cropped shirt and little white shorts. Her rosy cheeks that went with them weren't helping either, but there was something under the surface ready to crack. He really wished he could compel her to talk to him. You know, take the easy scummy way out, but that pesky vervain was around again.

Damon needed to know about this man. The one she's so terrified of, the one that left her broken. He could see she was holding back something every time she looked down at her drink. He didn't need his powers though, Damon knew if he tired hard enough he could get her to open up to him.

Damon took a gulp out of his glass, feeling the tingling burn of the whiskey numb his throat. She was still looking down at her glass, when he noticed her lip. It was protruding a little, and he could see the healing split in it. Suspicion welled up in him, it should take longer for that to heal. It was much better compared to the last time he saw her the other night.

Reaching his hand out, he took her chin in it. Her eyes shot up to his, but he just stroked his thumb over her lower lip. Damon fought back a smile when he heard her heart flutter at his touch. "What happened there, princess?" he asked her.

She swallowed hard, trying to find words. He ran his thumb over the split one more time.

"I got it when I went to visit my dad," she said, her voice wavering a little. He dropped his hand from her chin. He could see the sadness in her, as she tipped her glass back taking another, larger sip. An unfamiliar human urge made him want to make that sadness go away. He shook the feeling away.

"Another fist fight, eh? Keep this up and you'll either be a pro-boxer or in the county jail soon." Damon smirked, leaning closer to her. He saw her smile, biting her lip slightly.

"No," she said. "I didn't fight anyone." He noticed the tension in her hands, as if she wanted to tell him but was holding back.

"You can tell me, Nilin. You know that right?" he persuaded. "Who am I honestly going to tell?" he asked, gesturing to the empty house. "As you pointed out before, no one likes me."

She caught his eyes. "Not true, I like you," she said, relaxing back. "And I know, I want to tell you but-" she stopped and took a breath. "It's because I like you that I'm not going to tell you. I don't want to put you in danger."

He almost laughed, the thought of her worried about him seemed ridiculous. That's when he remembered she didn't know his secret. That he was the same thing that she feared, that, because of this, he already knew what she was afraid of.

"Just tell me," he said, cocking his head to the side. He watched as she bit her lower lip again, released it and then the pain come to her eyes as her shoulders dropped, losing the fight inside her.

"There's just this jackass in the town I lived in. He doesn't get the meaning of the word 'no', I guess you can say." Nilly said softly, staring at her hands.

"What a jackass." Damon agreed, trying to keep the mood light as he finished off his glass.

"Yeah," she shrugged, looking down at her empty glass. He snatched it from her and got up, refilling both of them. Handing the glass back to her, Damon asked, "He did this to you?" He kept with his fake ignorance.

She nodded as she took a drink. "Yeah. We dated, I tried to end it and he didn't like that idea."

"Oh, jackass is an ex," he said.

"He's also violently delusional." Nilly's normally sweet voice went cold. Then something dawned on him. He finally fit the missing pieces into its place.

"That's why you came back to MysticFalls," he said. Her eyes widened vaguely, confirming his suspicion. She was surprised he put it together so quickly.

"First chance I got," she explained. She finished the last of her drink. Damon took another gulp of his to realize it was empty as well. He got up, this time bringing the bottle with him. He filled her glass and then his. "Thanks," she smiled.

He wanted to ask her about something that had been bothering him for a while now, but he wasn't sure how. _Screw it_, he thought as he took another drink from his glass.

"About the other night, in your kitchen," he said, looking at her carefully. He saw her sigh deeply.

"Damon—"

"You were right." She looked up at him questionably. "I'm going to hurt you, Nilin. It's what I do, I hurt people. It's something that happens and eventually I'll hurt you. Like you said, you don't need that," he finished. Her eyes dropped away from his.

"What I said that night, I meant," she said slowly. "But it was a long drive to LeeCounty, and when I was down there and when he-" she stopped herself again, shaking her head. Then she looked up at him, her eyes so clear. "I kept thinking of you and at that moment I felt so far away from home," she confessed, her voice fading. "I know it's stupid, when you have Caroline wrapped around your finger and you're searching for this Katherine girl that you _clearly_ have feelings for, but I felt it. And, well, it hurt," she finished.

The ache in his chest hummed, he felt as if something was pulling him. Shockingly, whether from Nilin or the whiskey, he had completely forgotten about his mission to rescue Katherine from the tomb. That's what Nilin did to him. She consumed all his senses and joined the alcohol as they intoxicated his brain and his thoughts.

He put his drink down, and cradled her face between his hands. He forced her to look at him, to see him and he heard the drumming of her heart as a result. "Do you see Caroline here?" he asked. "Katherine's not here either, I'm the only one looking for the other and I've hit a major dead end." Damon continued, as trapped in her gaze as she was his. "You're the only one here Nilin, no one else. And I'm perfectly happy with that."

Slowly, he watched as she leaned into him. In one movement he pressed his lips to hers, feeling that electrical sting on his mouth when she kissed him back. He kissed her softly, reading her reaction. The initial shock, then she melted into him, placing her hands on his and leaning closer.

The kiss went deeper as he realized how much his demon had been craving this, but the human part couldn't help but notice how right it felt. She pulled back, a little gasping for a breath. He did so too, forgetting she was only human. Nilin opened her eyes.

"I thought you said this wasn't going to happen again," he reminded her, smirking. He couldn't help but kiss her, she was so addictive. Nilin rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, Salvatore," she ordered as she kissed him again.

* * *

She could still feel the last kiss on her lips, it made her tipsier than she already was. The music pulsed loudly through the house, some pop song with a heavy bass. She spun and twirled to the beat, her hair whipping around her. She took another sip from her drink and then put it down as Damon came over and grabbed her hands, dancing with her.

She giggled as they danced around the room, shaking their hips, jumping up and down, being completely ridiculous. Yet Damon was able to make the outlandish moves look sexy as hell. Nilin probably looked the total opposite.

She didn't know how much she drank and she didn't really care. This was fun, Nilin Gilbert never had fun. He spun her around the coffee table, laughing with her. The alcohol made her feel light and numbed her brain nicely. She couldn't even remember why she had been so nervous about coming here and talking to Damon in the first place.

"Who taught you how to dance?" she asked over the music. He moved his hips near her and smiled.

"Many years of practice, my dear," he answered.

"Teach me," she said back. He smirked as he stood in front of her. The music changed to another pop song. This one was a slower one, she rocked her hips back and forth with the beat. She sang along to the song softly as Damon made his way to her.

_"I'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you_

_And I need you like a heart needs a beat_

_But that's nothing new_

_I loved you with a fire red, now it's turning blue"_

Damon placed his hands on her hips, moving with her. She smiled up and put her arms around his neck. "Is it me or are you getting flashbacks too?" she asked.

"Our lovely adventure at a High School Dance," Damon laughed. "This one's much better though."

"Well I agree with you completely, no Caroline," she said. "But why do you think that?

He just smirked at her. "Because I can do this without getting punched in the face," he said, bending down slightly and kissing her. Her heart hammered in her chest. He smiled against her lips, then pulled away.

"And I can do this, without having _to_ punch anyone in the face," she teased as she reached up on her tippy toes, pressing her lips back to his. She felt him laugh against her and suddenly she was twirling again. She must have sounded like a five year old, the way he made her giggle. Nilin didn't care though.

She sunk down on the sofa, head spinning, world spiraling. She reached for her glass and finished the contents of it. She was getting that warm feeling in her stomach and the fluffiness in her brain, but she was sure Damon was contributing to that as well. He came over and plopped down next to her.

"What? My dance moves too much for you?" he flirted, doing that eye thing that made the butterflies in her stomach burst open. She smirked at him.

"No, your whiskey is." Nilly explained, lifting her drained glass.

"Light weight," he joked. She sat up, offended. When it came to drinking, Gilberts were never light weights. He just laughed at her, then he stood up.

"None of that pouting. We're trying to have fun, remember?" Damon said, grabbing her hands and pulling her off the sofa.

"Fun?" she questioned. "What is that? I've never experienced that." Damon rolled his eyes at her as he spun her around again.

"Trust me," he said. "You're having it."

"Sad part is," she confessed. "This is the most fun I've had in a very long time."

"Well, I am honored you chose to spend the evening with me," he said, dancing with her again.

"Of course you are." Nilly joked. "I am Nilin Gilbert," she shrugged, acting all snotty like. He laughed at her as he slowed their dancing.

She leaned her head on him as he danced. She sighed lightly, inhaling Damon's cologne. Nilly looked up at him, the alcohol causing her strange inner thoughts to come out.

"I'm also like poison," she said.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, looking down at her with an eyebrow arched.

"I don't know, Damon. I poison good things."

He laughed. "That's rich Nilin," he joked. She stopped dancing, pulling away from him.

"Seriously Damon, I'm a mess. A total human tragedy and- and, I don't even know what I'm saying anymore." Nilly said, falling back on the sofa. "I'm drunk," she mumbled.

"Very," Damon agreed, standing in front of her.

"Do you ever feel like you're falling apart sometimes, but the one thing that might be able to keep you together is right out of reach?"

"All the time," Damon half heartedly laughed. He reached down and pulled Nilin up, making her stand.

"People leave me, Damon." Nilin confessed. "They just give up on me or disappear."

"Well, I don't normally give up on something. Once I get a hold of it I don't let go until it bleeds." Damon said, stepping closer to her. She felt him link his hand with hers. She stared up into his midnight eyes, feeling like she was seeing a part of him no one else knew about.

"I don't bleed easily," she told him, cocking her head up.

"Good," he grinned. Then he leaned down as she reached up, their lips met and a shock rolled threw her body. It sparked her brain and made her hair stand up. He must have felt it too because the kiss wasn't soft anymore. His hands went up her body to her waist, holding her there. She kissed him stronger, her arms tightening around his neck.

Suddenly, Nilly felt the couch cushion underneath her. Damon's lips never left hers. She gasped faintly, as they went to her neck. He placed a kiss right on the bite Christian gave her. It made her wince, but at the same time, it sent chills down her body. His lips found hers again.

Nilly heard someone gasp loudly and Damon heard it too. They froze then suddenly Damon was off of her and she was scrambling to sit up. She saw a wide eyed, open mouthed Elena and Stefan in the doorway. Nilly sunk down on the sofa, cheeks burning.

"Shit," she mumbled. They were caught.

Damon was standing, hands held up. "Hold on," he was saying.

"What the hell," Stefan yelled. He and Damon were walking out of the room back into the hallway. Nilly put her head in her hands, not wanting to see Elena's face right now. Her brain was so fuzzy though, she felt like she needed fresh air. She should say something, it was wrong for Damon to bear this alone. She looked up, but the room was empty. No one in sight, she could hear their muffled voices echoing from the hallway.

Nilly got up off the sofa slowly, and made her way to the door. She was about to step into the hallway to explain herself when she heard her name. She froze. Nilin was unable to see them but she could hear them.

"Do you know what even happened to her?" Elena was asking, her voice strained but hushed. "She was attacked by a vampire, Damon," she continued. Nilly's eyes widen. Why was she telling him this? Elena knew Nilly wanted to keep that as much as a secret as she could, yet she tells Damon?

Stefan was talking now, his voice angry.

"Nilin doesn't need this right now. She didn't run from one vampire to be deceived and alone with another," he was saying. Nilly heard the words but none of it made sense. She wasn't alone with a vampire, she was with… Damon… Nilly's heart dropped. She balled her hands at her side.

"Oh, and what about you, brother?" Damon was asking. "What do you think she's going to do when she finds out you're one as well?"

"She's not going to find out he's a vampire," Elena snapped. She heard Damon laugh, but Elena kept talking. "What do you think will happen if she finds out you're one too, Damon?" Simultaneously, Damon's laughter stopped and Nilly choked out a sob. Three pairs of eyes went to her. Nilly was standing in the hallway now, not sure of when she had taken the final step out of the living room. Her hand went to her lips then her head, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Vam-vampires?" she stuttered, narrowing her wet eyes. She looked at Damon, ignoring the other two. "You're, you're a-" she tried to get the words out, but couldn't. The way he looked at her, she saw sadness, shock, and something else she could make out. She couldn't hold his eyes. "I'm going to be sick," she said, turning away from them.

"Nilin," Elena spoke, softly.

Nilly whipped around to glare at her cousin. "How could you do this to me!?" she yelled. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"Nilly-" Elena tried to speak, tears coming to her eyes.

"No! Don't 'Nilly' me, you don't get to say anything to me!" Nilly gasped for a breath, her hands shaking. "How could you keep something like this from me!? When I told you everything, you said no more secrets, Elena!"

Stefan stepped forward, hands raised as if Nilly was a rabid animal. She wasn't the animal, they were. His lips were parted to say something, but Nilly couldn't help but picture his face looking like Christian's before he'd bite her.

"Don't come near me," she warned, backing up.

"Nilly, I'm not going to hurt you." Stefan said. She almost lost it there.

"Bull crap, you're all the same. You said I could trust you Stefan! I thought I could trust you!" she sobbed.

"You can, just let's sit down and talk." Nilly shook her head, wiping her eyes. The hallway had shrunken, her breaths were getting caught in her throat.

"No, no. I-I need to leave. I need to get out of here and leave," she mumbled. She started back towards the door.

"Wait," Damon called. She stopped and looked at him. The betrayal and pain clear on her face and in her chest.

"Up till now, you were the only one that didn't keep things from me. But now I see it was all true, everything anyone has ever said about you was true. Congratulations Damon, you had me fooled. I was dumb enough to think you actually gave a crap about me." On the last word Nilly turned on her heels and ran for the door. She heard them calling after her, but she didn't stop until she reached her Jeep.

Nilly sped out of the Salvatore's driveway.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Well, it looks like everything's out on the table now... and its a mess. I want to hear all your thoughts, every opinion, all of it. Lay it on me. Remember to Favorite, Follow & Review.  
I'll see you Friday lovlies,

RLS

**Featured Songs:**

Apologize covered by Silverstien (original by One Republic)


	25. Chapter Fifteen: The Aftermath

**Part Fifteen: The Aftermath**

Her eyes burned and her heart was pounding as she tried to focus on the dark road. Nilly kept wiping her eyes, trying to get rid of the tears but they kept coming. Her headlights illuminated the night while she drove. As her Jeep went over WickeryBridge, she couldn't help the sob that escaped her mouth.

How can she be so stupid, so blind? They were vampires, cold undead bloodsucking vampires. Damon, who had made Nilly remember that it was okay to laugh again, was a vampire. God, the world felt like poison on her tongue. She could still feel his lips on hers but instead of making her feel tipsy it made her feel sick. She furiously rubbed her mouth, trying to erase the memory.

And Elena, the one person who had always been there for Nilly, had known. She goddamn knew! She kept it from Nilly. She kept a monster's secret. She's dating one of them, knowingly. Nilin felt nauseas. Elena even sat there as Nilly poured her heart out to her and Stefan about Christian. Nilly had trusted all of them, confided in them and each one of them lied to Nilly's face.

It was probably her own fault, it's always her fault. She's just a death magnet, it follows her around. Her luck she'd fall for another vampire. What were the chances? Nilly kept thinking to her first night here, the handsome mysterious guy who had bought her shots. He wasn't trying to have a conversation with her that night, he was looking for desert.

Was it Nilly's resemblance to Elena that made him pick her out? Was it all some scheme to get back at Stefan, his brother? Now she knew it was the only reason he even looked twice at her. Then she remembered the first time he kissed her, how she noticed something wrong with his face and then he disappeared. His midnight eyes, the ones Nilly had lost herself in countless times, the ones she dreamt about. He had turned away because they were contorting, the veins crawling out, pupil dilating, blood seeping into them. The way a vampire looks before their fangs extend and they attack. Shivers ran down her body, bile rising in her throat.

Her chest was so sore, as if someone had pulled her heart out of her [chest.] They might as well have, she had no one now. Not one single person to protect from Christian. All those promises were dead, everything was dead. Maybe that was a bit dramatic but she did tell them everything, and for what? They all lied to her.

Nilly wiped her eyes again, as she sat up in the seat. Her head was spinning. She needed to focus on the road. She didn't know where she was going, she had nowhere else to go. Maybe she'd just drive until her car ran out of gas, then she'd just walk until something caught up with her. God, the whiskey was making her stomach heave and her vision to blur. Or was that just the tears that started again? She loosened her grip on the steering wheel and used her knuckles to wipe her eyes.

It was already too late when she saw him, the dark silhouette of a man in the middle of the road. Nilly gasped, grasping the steering wheel and trying to turn it, but her reaction was dulled. Her Jeep skidded, hit the man with great force and started flipping. Nilly screamed as her world spun. The sound of bending and scraping metal filled her ears. She heard glass break as her body was thrown back and forth inside the car. Then everything stopped, the movement, the noise, nothing but Nilly's heavy breathing and whimpering filled the silence.

She was upside down, and though the car stopped turning, her vision hadn't. Air escaped her lungs in a cough, the seatbelt restricting her chest. She could see broken glass under her as she tried to unbuckle the seatbelt. She tried to release it but it wouldn't budge. Her hand felt its way down to the buckle, her heart dropped when she felt the bent mangled latch. She was stuck. Frantically Nilly tired pulling on the seatbelt. She began getting lightheaded, her vision graying out.

She looked out the smashed passenger seat window and almost let out a shriek. A few yards away was a dark mass laying in the road, the man she had hit. Her eyes widened in horror as the man began to move, no human could have survived that. Which only meant one thing… He moved slowly, Nilly could hear the popping and cracking of bones as the man began to stand. She braced her hands on the roof of her car, trying to get a deep breath. She fumbled with the door, pushing on it for her life as the hooded man got to his knees. Her heart was pounding, the adrenaline rushing through her veins. The door was stuck, the impact had crushed it inwards.

Tears spilled out her eyes as she urgently struggled to get free. Her breaths came in gasps when, with one final pop, the man stood up and began walking towards her. She pushed on the door desperately as the black boots closed in on her. He was at the door, he began to bend down. Even in her panicked state she knew who'd be under the black hood. She saw the man's hand reach in through the shattered window. Nilly let out a scream.

Suddenly he stopped, stood up and with inhumanly speed blurred away from her. Nilly breathed heavily, leaning towards the window. Confused and trembling she looked to where he had disappeared into the night. All of a sudden a shadowed face appeared in the window. Nilly screamed again, throwing her hands over her face.

"How you doing in there?" the man said. Nilly removed her hands from her eyes.

"Damon?" she sobbed. He was crouching on the ground looking at her.

"You look stuck," he said, pushing off the ground and standing up. Nilly was fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Damon," she cried. "It's-it's my seatbelt. I- can't…" she mumbled. Then suddenly she heard metal screech and the thud of something hitting the pavement. Damon had pulled her door off the car.

"Shh, shh, shh," he said. "I'm going to get you out of there." He was crouching down again, his eyes on her. She breathed heavily, the belt still squeezing her.

"I want you to put your hands on the roof," he instructed her calmly. She did what he said, pressing her palms onto the roof under her. "Just like that," he said. Nilly tried to focus on his voice. "You ready?" he asked. She nodded weakly, bracing her arms.

"One… two…three," Damon counted softly. On three she heard the moan of metal as he pulled something. Nilly could breathe again. She dropped out of her seat, her weak arms doing little to help her. "There we go," Damon said, reaching for her. She tried to help him pull her out, but her body wasn't working right. He got her out easily, he held her in his arms. Her head pounded as she tried to focus on her vision.

"You okay?" he asked, concern tainting his voice. "Can you stand? Is anything broken?" Nilly felt as he tried to place her feet on the ground, aware of the small groans coming from her mouth. She struggled to stable her feet but they felt like jello, she held on to him for support, almost standing.

"Don't move too fast, Nilin." Damon said. Her eyes were closing. "Nilin, Nilin look at me," his voice urged. She felt his cool hand go to her chin as she struggled to focus on him. His dark eyes looked her over, watching her eyes. "You're okay," he mumbled softly. She stared back at him, there was something she needed to tell him before the darkness closed around her. Her lips tried to form the words, her voice coming out like a croak.

"It was him." Then her knees buckled, he caught her instantly, lifting her back in his arms. Nilly's mind faded out.

* * *

Damon held Nilin in his arms, he watched as her eyes rolled back and her legs went weak. He caught her as she fell, her head going back. Damon cradled her in his arms, listening to her heartbeat. It was pumping evenly, no signs of struggle or slowing. He looked down the dark deserted road and, making a decision, he stood up with Nilin in his arms.

"Upsy daisy," he said as he began to walk. Nilin mumbled something, he felt her hand grip his leather jacket weakly. Damon carried her down the road, being careful not to jostle her around too much. He took her to his Camaro, laying her gently in the passenger seat before going around to the drivers.

He started the car and then looked over to Nilin. Her head lean against the window, her soft pale eyelids shut. Her brown hair fell to one side, exposing her neck. He could see the bite again, she hid it well. But after the struggle she just went threw he could see it easily on her creamy neck.

Damon had to tear his eyes away as he felt an ache in his jaw. His eyes found her lips, slightly parted. He felt that pain in his chest again as the memory of her scream echoed in his head. He had seen the wreck from far down the road with his sharpened sight. He wasn't going to do much about it, he could care less, until he recognized the green Jeep. Damon had stopped his car and gotten out when a scream pierced the night air. He took off immediately, recognizing her voice.

He had seen the hooded figure, but whoever it was took off before Damon reached the wreckage. When he bent down to find Nilin in the car, upside down, hair hanging everywhere and tears in her eyes, he felt something almost like panic in his chest. But vampires don't panic.

He was worried, that's what it was, worry. When he held her in his arms though, that feeling went away. That was, until she muttered those words before collapsing on him. _It was him..._ Was she talking about the vampire who booked it out of there when he saw Damon coming? Was that the 'him' from her dreams, the one she had been telling him about before? Had Damon been that close to the bastard?

He glanced at her again, his thoughts fading back to earlier that evening, when he was actually enjoying himself, watching Nilin dance and smile. Listening to her heartbeat quicken at the slightest touch from him, and she wasn't a bad kisser. If Stefan and Elena hadn't walked in on them, if Nilin hadn't heard them talking, if she never found out what Damon was, she wouldn't have been on this road, she wouldn't have crashed. She would still be with him, safe and not pissed off. Oh, she'll be angry as hell when she woke up, he could handle that. He accepted peoples' rage before their compassion. He was just hoping she wouldn't try to kill him.

Her eyes flashed in his head, the way she had looked at him before she stormed out the door. They were piercing, like daggers, and cold. Her words running through his head_, I was dumb enough to think you really gave a crap about me._ Funny thing was, Damon didn't give a crap about anyone. But Nilin had unintentionally weaseled her way into his constant thoughts. He guessed he could learn to care for her. He already showed he did by pulling her out of the mangled Jeep.

He sighed as he drove through the night, he'll try to explain things to her when she woke up. She might not be happy with him, and her crystal eyes might still be cold, but she'd be alive.

* * *

** Author's Notes:**

Chapter Fifteen up! Have an amazing weekend, guys. See you Monday :)  
Favorite, Follow & Review

RLS


	26. Chapter Sixteen: The Picture

**Chapter Sixteen: The Picture**

Elena was sitting in Stefan's room, her hands clenching and unclenching with worry. Nilly had left an hour ago and never made it back to the house. Elena had called her cell phone five times now. It went straight to voice mail. Elena felt sick, sick with guilt, worry and anger.

She never meant for this to happen, she never meant to betray Nilly like that. Elena shook her head, trying to erase Nilly's stricken eyes from her head. Elena couldn't believe she did this. She had no clue where Nilin was and this was all Elena's fault.

She should have told Nilly a long time again about the vampire's in Mystic Falls. Elena herself had only recently found out of her cousins disturbing secrets. Maybe this was better for Nilly to get away for a little, maybe the anger she felt towards Elena was good. The thing that terrified Elena was that the guy, that vampire named Christian, Nilly had told them about. He was out there too.

And look what happened to Nilly the last time she left Mystic Falls… Only if Nilly would answer her phone.

Getting off of Stefan's bed Elena looked for something to busy herself with until Nilly cooled down enough to call back. She walked over to Stefan's shelves and shelves of books, running her finger over the spines. She loved his room, it had a warm feeling to it, books everywhere, all of it him. His desk pushed over to one of the windows was cluttered with journals, papers and candles. Elena wondered where Stefan was, he had gone downstairs to find Damon. She thought he'd be back by now, telling her everything was okay, that she should calm down. Then he'd distract her, keep her mind off the growing pain in her chest.

But he wasn't back yet, so instead she walked over to his desk. An old candle stick in a brass holder sat in the corner, dried wax running down it. She was looking at the clutter on his desk when something caught her eye. Elena pulled at the edge of an old looking picture. The paper around the photo was yellowing. She stared at it strangely. The girl in the picture looked like her, well actually more like Nilly, with the curlier hair. Elena squinted at the faded cursive writing in the corner.

She felt her stomach drop...

_Katherine 1864_...

This wasn't a picture of her or Nilly, it was a picture of Katherine. The girl who both Salvatore brothers fell in love with. The girl Elena thought was trapped in the Fell's Church tomb, the one Damon's been trying to get into. Stefan had told her about Katherine, but had left out one major detail.

Elena looked exactly like her... She felt tears sting her eyes as everything she ever felt about Stefan came crashing down. She stared at the picture, her sight blurring from the tears. She gripped it in her hands and left Stefan's room. She nearly slammed into him on the stairs as she hastily descended them.

"Hey," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know where Damon took off- You okay?" he asked, reading the look on her face. She held up the picture in front of him. His face went blank.

"Elena," he spoke softly. "I can explain, please let me explain."

"Why do I look like her?" she asked in a strained voice. She shook her head as she bit her lip to stop the tears. "You could have told me." Elena said.

"I wanted too," he replied.

"I can handle the truth Stefan, as crazy as it is. I can handle the fact that you are a vampire. That you have a vampire brother, and that Nilly has been used by one. I can accept the fact that my best friend is a witch and that the world is a more mysterious place then I ever thought possible, but _this_." Elena held up the picture. "This lie, I cannot take."

She took a breath to steady herself. Stefan watched her with weary eyes. "What am I to you?" she asked. "Who am I to you?"

He looked at her. "You are not Katherine. You are the opposite of everything she was."

"And when you figure that out? Before you kissed me? Before I told you I loved you?"

Stefan was shaking his head, he looked down. There was a silence and then he looked back up at her, pain in his eyes. "Before I met you," he answered.

Elena started at him, confused. She shook her head slightly. "Wh-what?"

* * *

As Nilly slowly began to wake up she could hear her surroundings. A low hum of some sort, a tapping noise and the blur of a radio. Her hearing sharpened as she became more aware of what was going on around her. She recognized the song playing as she tried to open her eyes.

_The world still moves on  
I'm sorry I made you wait  
I wish that I, I could stay  
The world still moves on_

_I live for this but I'd die for you_.

Nilly moved her head to the side, letting out a groan. The more she woke up, the more her body hurt. Her head was pounding as she squinted open her eyes. She was moving, or the ground outside was moving. Nilly picked her head off the window, heart starting to pound.

"Morning," Damon smirked at her, though his eyes were cautious.

Her eyes widened, as she put her hand on her forehead. "Wh-where are we?" she managed.

"Georgi_a_." Damon answered. She turned towards him. There was no way she could be in Georgia, not with him. He was the last person she wanted to see and now she was in a car with him, in the middle of nowhere by the looks of it.

"Georgia..? No, no were not. Seriously, Damon where are we?" she asked, getting angrier.

"Seriously. We're in Georgia." Nilly shook her head.

This wasn't happening, she needed to get out of this car. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice softening. Her entire body was sore and her head was whirling. She was trying to control her breathing, unable to talk to him. "No broken bones," Damon said. "I checked."

She looked over at him, he had a smirk on his face. She needed to call someone, tell them where she was. Tell someone to get her the hell away from him. "Where's my phone? I can't be in Georgia. No on knows where I am." She looked around frantically. She turned back to Damon. "Pull over. Stop the car, Damon now." He just side looked her with a grin. "I mean it Damon, pull over." she said, her voice rising.

He looked over at her, huffing and rolling his eyes. "Ugh, you were so much more fun when you were asleep," he groaned, but the car slowly verged off on to the side of the road. When it stopped Nilly threw the door opened.

She tried to get out quickly, but a sore pain raided through out her entire body. She placed her feet on the ground, using the door to stand up. She leaned on the car, bending over as she struggled to deal with the wave of pain.

Suddenly Damon was next to her, his hand on her back and another on her arm. His concerned dark eyes grasped Nilly's. "Hey," he said cautiously.

She sucked up the pain enough to stand up straighter and push him away. "Don't touch me," she said coldly. He held up his hands, signaling surrender.

"No touching, got it," he said. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine," Nilin bit out. Truth was, she wasn't really. Her chest felt tight, one of the signs of a panic attack. She moved away Damon, walking to the back of the car. She leaned her back on it, eyes him. "I have to go back," she said in a breathless voice.

"Oh, come on," he said walking over to her. "We've come this far."

"Let me rephrase that, I want to go back." He just smiled at her. "Why are you doing this?" Nilly asked, pushing off the car. "I can't be in Georgia. I wrecked my car, no one knows what happened to me and there's no way in hell I'm getting back in that car with you." Nilly explained, her hands beginning to shake. A second sign of a panic attack.

Damon kept walking towards her, grinning, "I know you're upset, but don't you think you're being a little over dramatic."

She just stared at him. "You're not funny, not even close." His smile dropped. Nilly turned around, back towards him. She ran her fingers though her hair, her heart was raging. Sign number three of a panic attack. She squatted down slowly, her body protesting. Nilly bent her head down between her legs as she rested her arms on her knees. Taking in as deep as a breath she could and slowly exhaling it, a trick she learned a while ago. "Take me back, now Damon or I swear-"

"You swear you'll what?" he cut her off, suddenly standing in front of her.

"Stay away from me," Nilin hissed, staring up at him.

"There's no where to go Nilin. If you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of no where." Damon shouted, spreading out his arms and motioning to the fields around them. "I'm not the bad guy here," he told her.

Nilin, who was still crouching down, snickered. "You're a vampire, for God's sake Damon."

"And you're a scared little human, who do you think will win in this situation?" he pondered, crossing his hands over his chest.

Nilin shot up quickly, a big mistake. "Are you threatening me?"

"No," Damon squinted at her in absurdity. "I'm not threatening you, Nilin. I know you think I'm the big bad scary monster, but I'm not… at the moment, that is. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Now," Nilin mumbled, slowly squatting down again "I can't do this, I can't go to Georgia." she said, calming down.

"Well, you're in Georgia." Damon said, coming in front of her again.

"I know you're angry with me, I get it." he said.

"Then take me home." Nilly snapped. He reached his hand down to help her up but she ignored it, standing herself.

"Home?" he snorted, hand dropping. "Where? Back to Elena and Stefan? The ones who've lied right to your face. Or how about to the witch, Bonnie? She knew what we are too. Did she ever tell you? Or what if I drive you back to the vampire who's out to get you? Is that better?" he said getting closer to her. She backed up, to the car weary of him. Nilly swallowed hard, her jaw clenched.

"Anything would be better than being stuck with you," she said through clenched teeth.

"I know your angry with me, but realize something. I never lied to you about who I was, what I am. You never asked me and I never told." Damon said lowering his voice.

She stood up straighter. "But would you have told me the truth if I confronted you?" she asked. He hesitated for a moment, dropping his eyes. Nilly shook her head.

Just then she heard a phone ring, it sounded like hers. But hers was in her purse, which she thought she had left in the overturned Jeep. Nilly turned to Damon, who was leaning against the car, arms crossed over his chest. The ringing was coming from his pocket.

"That's my phone," she accused. He smirked and pulled Nilly's black cell out of his jacket pocket.

"Mm-hmm, and look it's your little cuz. I'll take it." Damon said, holding the phone to his ear. "Nilin's phone."

She watched as he answered it, smiling the entire time. Then he looked at her. "Nilin? She's right her. And, yes, she's fine." There was a pause as he listened into the earpiece, then he held the phone towards her.

"She wants to talk to you," he said, raising his eyebrow. Nilly shook her head, "Uh-uh." He shrugged his shoulders as he put the phone back to his ear. "Yeah, I don't think she really wants to talk to you right now."

Nilly put her head down. She knew she would have to face Elena eventually, but with her emotional stability teetering dangerously right now, it wasn't a good idea.

"You have a good day right now. Mm-hmm. Bye-now." Damon said as he hung the phone up, most likely disconnecting with a steaming Elena. She looked up at him, her expression still cold.

"Look," Nilly said, "No one knows where I am. Can we please just go back?"

Damon looked at her, standing in front of her. "We're almost there," he said.

She threw her hands up, her chest feeling sore again. "Where is there?!" she asked.

He smirked at her, stepping back from her. "A little place right outside of Atlanta." Damon explained.

She eyed him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, come on, Nilly. You don't wanna go back right now. Do you? What's the rush?" She looked down at the ground. He was right, she didn't want to got back but did she want to be with him? "Time-out. Trust me. Your problems are still going to be there when you get home." Damon continued. He put his finger under Nilly's chin, lifting her eyes from the ground. "Look. Step away from your life for five minutes. Five minutes!"

Nilly stared at him for a second before pulling herself free from him. "I said no touching," she said, bitterly. "Am I going to be safe with you?" she asked slowly.

"Yes," he answered.

"Can I trust you, Damon?" she continued.

He stared at her, his wicked smile coming to his face as he began to walk around the car. "Get in the car Nilin."

She watched him as he opened to driver's door. Running her hands through her a hair a few times, she slowly made her way along the Camaro. Nilly stopped at the passenger seat door, hand on the handle. Suddenly the window rolled down and Damon's voice called, "Time out, remember?"

Nilly let out a sigh and opened the door.

* * *

Elena stared at the phone in her hand. She had used it as an excuse to step away from Stefan, but with that very short, annoying conversation with Damon over, Elena had no choice but to go back into the boarding house. With a deep breath she opened the heavy wooden front door. She stepped in the family room where Stefan was sitting, elbows on his knees, eyes to the floor. When he heard her he looked up, his green eyes stunning.

He stood up, as Elena approached him slowly. Her head was still swirling, questions bubbling behind her lips but she knew she had to hear the rest of the story. She nodded her head for him to continue talking. She watched as Stefan took a shaky breath as he looked at her.

"The first day of school, when we met. It wasn't for the first time, Elena" he said quietly. Her eyes narrowed at him, confusion creasing her forehead.

"Then when was it?" she asked. His voice dropped.

"May 23, 2009." Stefan answered. Elena knew that date, it was forever singed in her brain.

"But that was-"

"That was the day your parents's car went off the bridge," he finished her sentence. Elena sat down slowly, her legs feeling weak. "You were there?" she asked unbelievably. He sat down next to her, at a distance as if he was unsure of her response. She was unsure of her own response. Elena looked up at him, her clear blue eyes swimming in tears, confusion, pain.

"Every couple of years I come back her to see MysticFalls, to see my home." Stefan began to explain. "That spring, I was out in the woods, by old Wickery Bridge. And I heard the accident. All of it," he said slowly. Elena felt tears edging there way out, as the memory flew back. "I was fast getting there, but not fast enough. The car was already submerged. Your dad was still- he was still conscious. I was able to get to him, but he wouldn't let me help him, until I helped you." Stefan finished. It all clicked in, snapping into place as the wetness on her cheeks dripped off her chin.

"Oh my god," she said with a horse voice. "When I woke up in the hospital, nobody could figure out how I got out of the car," Elena paused, looking up at Stefan. "They said it was a miracle."

She could see the pain in Stefan's eyes, reflecting her own. "I went back for them," he said. "But it was too late, I couldn't save them. When I pulled you out, I looked at your face. You looked like Katherine. I couldn't believe the resemblance. After that, I spent months making sure you weren't her. I watched you. I learned everything that I could about you. And I saw that you were nothing like Katherine."

She felt something well up in her chest, making her heart throb at his words. She couldn't untangle the emotions running through her, the shock, the love, the misery. Emotions that Elena couldn't place a name to. Stefan took another breath, reaching his hand towards her. She looked at it before wrapping her own around it.

"I wanted to leave town, but, Elena I couldn't. I couldn't leave without knowing you. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you. I wanted to. But you were so sad," he said, squeezing her hand. She starred at him for a little, waiting for the tears to dry. All that he had said ran through her head. Something inside was forcing her to accept it, to understand him and forgive him. The thing is, it was easy to forgive him, to understand his actions. But there was something still poking her.

"Why do I look like her?" Elena asked. He shook his head, "Elena, you've been through so much." She stood up quickly, pulling her hand from his.

"Why do I look like her, Stefan? What are you not telling me?"

He was standing too, looking at the floor again. "It didn't make any sense to me. You were a Gilbert. She was a Pierce. But the resemblance was too similar. And then I learned the truth."

He paused and looked up at her, the pain returning to his eyes.

"You were adopted, Elena."

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Happy Monday, guys. Hope your weekend was wonderful. Here is Chapter Sixteen for you. Tell me what you think about it. Favorite, Follow & Review!  
RLS

**Featured Songs:**

Gone So Long by Breathe Carolina


	27. Chapter Seventeen: The Bar

**Chapter Seventeen: The Bar **

Turns out they weren't in the middle of nowhere. They had made it into a town. Nilly watched out the window as Damon parked his car on the side of the street. She had her legs pulled up to her chest, chin on her knees. Nilly hadn't said much during the remainder of the trip, even though Damon attempted to start a conversation several times.

He pulled the key out of the ignition and got out of the car. Quicker than a human, he was at her door, opening it for her. She stepped out tenderly, glaring at the sun as she looked around.

"Where are we?" Nilly asked looking at the building across from them, "Bree's Bar" the sign read. "You brought me to a bar? Damon, I'm not old enough. They're not going to let me in," she said as he closed the car door behind her.

"Sure they will," he smirked. When they crossed the road to the bar, he opened the glass door for her again. As she stepped inside she saw it looked like any other bar, nothing out of the ordinary.

A large wooden counter sat to the side, with shelves of bottles on it. She did a 360 around the room. It had a dart board, karaoke machine, and an old fashion jukebox. Circular tables and stools were evenly placed.

Nilly could smell the musty woody aroma of the bar with a faint hint of alcohol. She could hear laughter and cheers coming from a group of guys, staring up at the TV as the baseball game ended. She wasn't sure what she had expected when he opened the door, nothing this normal though.

All of a sudden a voice snapped Nilly back. "No. No, it can't be. Damon, my honey pie."

Nilly turned to see a woman walking towards them, well walking towards Damon. She was tall, the stiletto heels she was wearing made her tower over Nilly. She had dark skin almost the same shade as her chestnut hair. It was curlier than Nilly's and flew over her shoulders as she stopped in front of Damon.

"Bree," Damon smiled. Then suddenly she was grabbing him and they were kissing. Well maybe kissing wasn't the correct terminology. They were devouring each other right in front of Nilly. This caused cheeks to turn red. Her eyes darted away when it became more than a kiss. She refused to call the feeling burning in her jealousy, because it wasn't_._ It was just very awkward and uncomfortable.

_ I could care less that they were practically swallowing each other's tongues a few feet a way from me,_ Nilly told herself.

Finally they pulled a part. With a "Mmh-mmh-mmh," Damon started to follow Bree to the bar counter. Nilly stared at them, almost in shock until Damon turned back around and grabbed Nilly's hand, as if he just remembered she was there.

A couple seconds later Nilly was sitting next to Damon at the bar, spinning nervously on her stool. Her body still hurt, but she was trying to focus on something else instead of the pain. Bree came over, flipping over shot glasses, a bottle of Tequila in her hand.

"Listen up everybody!" she shouted around the bar. "Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life, and ruined any and all chances of happiness!" Bree poured the Tequila in the glass in front of everyone. "Drink up!"

Nilly watched as she flung her head back with Damon, both of them downing the shots "Ahh. Whoo!" Bree smiled, slamming the glass back on the counter. Bree turned to Nilly, filling the shot in front of her. "So, how'd he rope you in?" she asked.

Nilly lifted her eyebrows as she heard a low chuckle come from next to her. She rolled her eyes, "Believe me, I'm not roped in."

Bree winked, "Honey, if you're not roped in, you're whipped. Either way enjoy the ride."

Nilly just rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. "Okay. Well, how did you two meet?" she asked, trying to get the subject off of her.

Bree smiled at Damon. "About 20 years ago, when I was a sweet, young freshman, I met this beautiful man, and I fell in love. And then he told me about his little secret, made me love him more." Bree said, winking at Damon. "Because, you see, I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to share with somebody."

"She's a witch," Damon cut in with a smile. And suddenly Bree wasn't having a conversation with Nilly anymore. She was looking straight at Damon.

"Changed my world, you know."

"I rocked your world," Damon smirked, stealing Nilly's untouched shot glass. Suddenly she wished the subject was back on her.

Bree turned back to Nilly. "But mostly, he's just a Walk Away Joe," she said with a sigh, then she turned back to Damon. "So, what is it that you want?"

* * *

Elena was sitting again, she couldn't stand. The shock was too much. Stefan was next to her, watching her face. None of this was making sense. How could she be adopted? Her eyes snapped up to Stefan's.

"How do you know this?" she asked shakily.

"Your birth certificate from the city records, it says Elena Gilbert, Mystic Falls General. But there's no record of your mother ever being admitted. There's no record of her ever being pregnant."

She stared at him. If her mother was never pregnant with her, if she was adopted… what about Nilly? She was her cousin, they had grown up as cousins. She was a year older than Elena. Nilin was turning 18 in the fall.

They looked exactly alike, eerily alike and the excuse had always been 'The strong Gilbert genes', but if Elena wasn't a Gilbert…? "An-and Nilly?" she asked slowly pulling out of her thoughts. "What about Nilly? We're- she's like me." Elena stammered.

Stefan shook his head. "I didn't know about Nilly until a few weeks ago, I though she was Katherine the first time I saw her, but you had your arms linked with hers. None of it made sense, then you introduced us and I talked to her. She clearly wasn't Katherine, so I went back. I started looking things over, digging into her past." He paused. "I found the same exact thing. Her name, the hospital, the signatures, but nothing else. Nothing indicating her mother was pregnant that year. The only record of Rocklynn Gilbert being in the hospital was for treatment."

"For the cancer." Elena said and Stefan nodded. "So- so are we-?"

"I believe you're sisters, Elena," he answered. Her hand went to her mouth, shock mounting in her chest. Sister… Nilly and she had always acted like sisters, ever since they were little. Maybe that's why she thought she should be more shocked over this, but the word felt right. It felt right to call Nilly her sister than her cousin. But they had spent their whole lives calling each other that.

"Our birthdays though, Nilly's older than me. Or is she?" Elena asked. Stefan looked down at his hands.

"She was born October 31st. You were born August 31st of the next year, or so the certificates say. Same day, different months, different years." Stefan said. "Your father was a doctor and you said her father is a lawyer, right?"

Elena nodded.

"Two men who knew how to deal with paperwork and evidence," he continued. "Your father took care of the hospital part and hers took care of the legal part. They could easily change a number, add a year."

Elena stared at him, confused. "What are you saying Stefan?"

He took her hands, looking her right in the eye. "I think you and Nilly were born on the same day, same month, same year," he answered. Elena blinked a couple of times, processing this. Same day, same day, same day. It kept running through her head, trying to find its way in. That's when Stefan's words made sense.

"We're twins," Elena said, eyes wide.

* * *

"Yes, Jenna. I know." Nilin said into her phone as she leaned on Damon's car. "Yes, I know I should have called and told you I was going out. I'm sorry, I— yes, Jenna. I—" She was trying to get a word in with her frantic aunt who was freaked out of her mind when Nilin didn't come home last night. Jenna was raging on when Nilly's phone beeped with another incoming call.  
"Listen, Jenna, I'll be home later. Okay? My dad's on the other line, I have to take this," she rambled quickly.

"Nilin Gilbert, if you hang up on me I will—"

"Love you Jenna, bye," and with that Nilly clicked over to the other line. "Hey, Dad." Nilin breathed out, putting a hand to her forehead. "I was just about to call you back."

"Nilin, I called you four times already. It kept going to your voicemail. Is everything alright?" her father asked concerned.

"Alright? Yeah. Yeah! Everything's fine," she replied. "I was just asleep, I've been, uh, feeling a bit under the weather."

"Under the weather?" he asked. "You're not lying to me, are you?" Dammit, this is what having a lawyer for a father is like.

"What? N_ooo,_ I'm just a little distracted, in the middle of a movie." Nilin said, as she stared across the street at Bree's Bar. "Why'd you call?"

"Just checking in on you, me being your father and all," he told her on the phone.

Nilin laughed a little, "Well, I'm fine Dad."

"Good," he continued. "Oh, and to let you know that I'm home and going back to work tomorrow."

"That's great, just don't push it. Take it slow if you need to, Dad." Nilin tried to urge her father. She heard him laugh on the other side of the phone.

"I'm a Gilbert, since when do we take anything slow?" he asked.

"Ah, the Gilbert line. Ever a curse," Nilin sighed.

"Have some respect for your ancestors, they weren't all nuts," he laughed.

"Just the majority, that's all," she mumbled. Again her father laughed.

"Alright, alright. I better let you get back to your movie. Talk to you soon, Nils," her dad said, still a bit of suspicion in his voice.

"Good idea, Dad. Love you." Nilin said, ending the call. She slipped her phone into her pocket. She had to battle Damon to get it back and now she wasn't going to let it out of her sight. Nilin looked to the entrance of the bar, through the front window she could spot Damon flirting with Bree still. Letting out a long sigh, she fixed her cropped shirt, ran her fingers through her hair and marched back in.

* * *

Damon had watched as Nilin made her way out of the bar. He reluctantly and teasingly gave her, her phone back. She'd been out by his car, pacing back and forth as she called her Aunt Jenna. He hoped she'd calm down a little, her heart had been beating at an erratic pace since she woke up. He was worried she'd go into cardiac arrest right in front of him.

There's only so much a human body can deal with until it shuts itself down. Even then he didn't feel bad for bringing her with him. She'd thank him once she relaxed. Damon turned his attention off the window and back to Bree.

"Come on, there's got to be another way," he said.

Bree just shook her head. "After all these years, you're still stuck on Katherine. Even when you have that cute little thing around?" she said, pointing her thumb towards the window. "How do you even know she's still alive?"

Damon just smiled at her, "Well, you help me get into that tomb and we'll find out."

"I already did," Bree said. "Twenty years ago, remember? Three easy steps. Comet. Crystal. Spell."

Damon dropped his smirk, getting annoyed. "There's a little problem with number two. I don't have the crystal."

Bree shrugged, "That's it Damon. There's no other way. It's Emily's spell."

He thought for a moment, irritation building in him. "What about a new spell with a new crystal that overrides Emily's?" he asked.

Bree shook her head again. "It doesn't work that way, baby. Emily's spell is absolute." She paused for a moment. "You can't get into that tomb," she said finally.

Just then Nilin came back in, halting his and Bree's discussion. She walked over to them and slid on her stool, laying her head on the bar.

"You okay?" Damon asked, leaning his elbow on the counter.

Nilin picked her head up. "Don't pretend to care," she said coldly. Then she hopped off the stool again, heading for the ladies room this time.

Damon watched as she left. He wasn't pretending anything, or at least he didn't think he was. He looked a Bree who just gave him a smug look as she wiped down the bar.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Chapter Seventeen for you guys :) I'm somewhat following the show'd plot line but with my own twist and turns, so tell me what you guys think please! Questions, comments, concerns leave them here! Thanks for reading.  
Favorite, Follow & Review.  
RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url,

Bree:  
/chapter_seventeen_bree/set?id=91853445


	28. Chapter Eighteen: The Honesty Hour

**Chapter Eighteen: The Honesty Hour**

Nilly was leaning on the bathroom sink, staring at her reflection, when her cell ringer made her jump. She looked down at the phone in her hand, the screen lit up 'Elena Calling'. Well it was now or never and with a sigh Nilly hit the answer button.

"Hi," she said, her voice echoing slightly in the empty bathroom. There was a pause on the other line.

"Nilly, hi." Elena's voice said back. Nilly was quiet. What was she supposed to say? "Are you okay? Are you safe? Where are you?" Elena asked, her voice starting to sound frantic.

"I'm fine," was all she answered.

There was another pause. "Nilly…"

Nilly didn't want to here it anymore. Another word from Elena and Nilin might snapped. "You lied," she nearly shouted into the phone.

"Not until I explain, please."

She squeezed the phone in her hand. "So you didn't lie?"

Another pause. "Just tell me where you are so I can come get you." Elena said.

Nilly tired to steady herself. "No, I don't think I want you to come get me," she answered back.

"You're with Damon?" Elena asked.

Nilin clamped her teeth down. "Yeah, I'm with Damon."

"You can't even answer when I call you, yet you can stand being around him, a vampire?" Elena asked, her voice rising.

She laughed bitterly, "I didn't really have a choice."

"Nilin, where are you?" Elena tried again.

"I'm safe, and I'm hanging up," was all Nilin answered.

"Nilin, wait!" Elena frantically said into the phone.

"You have thirty seconds."

"Really Nil—"

"28… 27…"

"Fine, go ask Damon about Katherine. See how long you can be around him then."

"What?"

"Ask him about her and your resemblance to her. Then call me to come pick you up," Elena said into the phone, her voice strained.

"Katherine? What the hell are you talking about?" Nilly asked.

"Just do it Nilly, trust me," she said. Nilly almost broke her jaw because of how hard she clenched it.

"Trust you? Am I supposed to believe that?" she asked with a strained voice.

"Listen-" Elena said, but Nilly had enough. She hit the end button, hanging up on Elena. Nilly splashed some water on her face and pulled her wavy hair into a ponytail. She still had the same pair of white shorts on and she desperately wanted trade them in for sweatpants and some aspirin.

Then with one final deep breath she left the bathroom. As she walked back to Damon, she saw that he now had two huge plates of food. By the looks of it hamburgers, overflowing with fries. With a sudden pain in her stomach, Nilly realized she was starving.

She sat back down on the stool slowly, not meeting Damon's eyes. She didn't want to be here anymore, she hated him for dragging her along. He slid one of the plates towards her, it smelled amazing.

"Thanks," she said without looking up at him, shoving a fry in her mouth.

"You're very welcome." Damon smirked, taking a bite of his burger.

"This nice act. Is any of it real?" she asked him, turning to finally meet his eyes. He stopped mid bite and put his burger back down.

"I've never been good at acting," he said.

Nilly snorted a laugh and looked back down at her plate. "Had me fooled," she mumbled.

Damon turned to her and rested his elbow on the bar. "What if we play honesty hour?"

Nilly's eyebrows pulled together confused. "Honesty hour?"

Damon looked at her, a smirk playing on his lips. "What, you've never played it at one of your girlie slumber parties?" he asked her.

"I never went to any slumber parties," she told him, her brows still pulled together in confusion.

He stared at her. "What a sad childhood you must have had." Damon shook his head.

"Thanks for reminding me," she shot back. "Anyway, what's this Honesty Hour?"

"Well it's very simple," he smirked. "But I'll try to explain it for you new timers. We ask each other questions about anything, nothing is off limits and you have to be completely honest."

Her eyes narrowed, "You're telling me to be honest?"

Damon put his hands up. "_We. _We have to be completely honest," he said.

Nilly thought for a moment. Why the hell not? What else did she have to lose?

"Okay, fine I'll play," she said, popping another fry in her mouth. Just then Bree came back over and handed Damon a beer.

"I'll have one," she said. Two surprised eyes turned towards her. "Time out remember," she said. "Plus I have a feeling this game's going to need a beer." Bree came back over, another beer in her hand.

"There you go," she said handing it to Nilly.

She took a sip and then turned back to Damon. "Newbie's go first," she said.

Damon smirked and gestured his hands for her to go on. Nilly thought for a moment, she wanted to start off slow before getting to the real question Elena had implanted in her brain. Finally she spoke.

"Why'd you pull me out of the Jeep?" she asked slowly. There was a pause as Nilly tried to read Damon's face.

"Why wouldn't I? You were all damsel-in-distress like and I might be a vampire but I'm not cruel," he answered. "Well, all the time," he winked.

Nilin rolled her eyes. "I mean you could have just left me on the side of the road or something. Why'd you take me with you?" she asked.

"Uh, that's two questions and it's my turn." Damon said mouth full of fries. Nilin just narrowed her eyes in frustration. "Who was that vampire you hit?"

Nilly unintentional inhaled a mouth full of beer. She knew the conversation was going to come to this, but she didn't expect so quickly. Damon watched her as she got over her coughing fit and manage to breath again.

"Innocent pedestrian?" Nilin tried.

Damon shook his head and put a hand to his chest. "And who's the deceiving one now?" he asked, with fake shock. "Try again," he told her, dropping the act.

She sighed. Why is it so hard to say? "He's the, uh, ex," Nilin put it. Damon's eyebrows knitted together. "I met him when I moved from MysticFalls. He's not a good person. Not a good person at all," she explained. "His name's Christian and like you said before, he's out to get me." Nilly finished quietly, starring at her plate. Her appetite was suddenly gone. "What I told you at the boarding house about him is true too, by the way. He's just a little more violent than a human."

Damon was quiet beside her, she didn't want to look up so instead she asked a question. "Where's this Katherine girl, you said you knew where she was but you hit a dead end?"

Damon moved, clearing his throat. "Well," he said very hesitantly. "She and 25 other vampires are trapped in a tomb under the burnt remains of the old FellsChurch and I need a witch's crystal to get her out of it," he spoke quickly as if hoping she didn't catch what he said. But she did.

Nilly closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. "So Katherine's a vampire… and there are more vampire's in MysticFalls," she reiterated slowly trying to get all the information correct. But her brain had ceased to work anymore.

"Mmhm, yup." Damon said.

She opened her eyes to look at him. "And why is it now I'm hearing about this?" she asked.

"Nuh-uh, what'd I say? One question per round," he said, smirking.

Obviously she's not getting an answer for that one. "Okay, then it's your turn." Nilly said with a strained tone.

"This Christian dude, why is he out to get you?" Damon asked taking a sip of his beer. Nilly inwardly groaned. She didn't feel like reliving this with Damon, at the moment. But, she couldn't figure how not to tell him, so she might as well be blunt about it.

She threw her hand up. "He is a delusional person, what else can I say? In his mind, I'm his and no one else. So when I ran away, he went hunting after me. He thinks its a game and I have to play along because he's threatened my family. He only started threatening them when he realized threatening my life wasn't working anymore." Nilly told him.

Again stillness came over Damon, Nilly noticed it and this time she looked up at him. His fists were clenched, eyes on hers. They looked darker and colder than she's ever seen.

Nilly shrugged. "You asked," she said, taking a sip from her beer. "Do you love Katherine?" she asked quietly, taking her turn. Damon didn't speak. "You said we had to be honest," she reminded him.

He slowly seemed to unfreeze. "Yeah, I do. I have for over a century now," he answered, just as quiet as Nilin. She just nodded her head. "I can see why you hate vampires so much, now," he continued. "I understand why you went speeding out of the boarding house last night."

Nilly kept her eyes on her plate, "Was there a question in there?"

There was silence then Damon asked, "Do you believe it's possible to love two people?" he asked with his voice still low. Nilly wasn't going to think too much into that question. She wouldn't let herself.

Nilly shook her head, "No, it's not possible. You have one heart for a reason. If you love two people than you're not truly in love with the first, because if you were you wouldn't have fallen for the second," she gave him her inner Dr. Phil answer.

Instead of letting him say anymore she asked another question, the one that had been on her mind this entire time. "Tell me about Katherine and my resemblance to her." she turned towards him. He looked stunned, shocked actually. "What? Did I say something?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Who said anything about you resembling her?" he asked, straightening up.

"Elena… and I have a feeling I'm not going to like the answer," she semi-groaned. "Let me remind you that you have to be completely truthful right now and the slightest bit of trust I have to offer to you is hanging on a thread." Nilly said, sitting up on her stool.

They were facing each other, now. He just stared at her as if he wasn't sure what to say. Nilly finished the last of her beer and found her self squeezing the bottle in her hand. Finally he spoke.

"You look alike." Damon said reluctantly. "You have an uncanny similarity when it comes to looks, personalities on the other hand…" he shrugged.

"What do you mean? We have the same eye color or something?" Nilly asked.

"No, hers aren't as bright as yours," he answered almost smirking again.

"Damon can you be serious with me for one second here?" she asked, getting frustrated.

He looked her right in the eye, smirk vanishing off his lips. "When I first saw you, I though you were her," he said, slowly. "If my heart could have stopped, it would've."

Nilly swallowed hard, something clicking in place. "So it wasn't resemblance to Elena that made you want to talk to me, it was Katherine." Nilly said slowly. Damon didn't deny it. She nodded, "So that's what's with this nice act."

"Nilin—"

"Then why'd you keep up with the whole act?" she cut him off. "Was I occupying your time until you could figure out how to get the tomb open?" She was blatantly ignoring the one question per round rule.

"At first, yes. Or that's how I saw it, but then everything changed. I knew you weren't her the moment I saw your eyes, the moment I heard you sing, Nilin." Damon said. "I didn't think things would get this out of hand."

Nilly didn't say anything at first. Process, Accept, Move on. She slowly nodded her head, "Yeah me neither." Her voice was calm, but she needed another beer.

She knew why Elena told her to ask about Katherine, she wondered how Elena knew Damon would tell her the truth. Nilly herself didn't realize he'd actually tell her so much the truth.

"Nilin—" Damon went to say again. She held up her hand to stop him, a soft smile touched her lips.

"You were honest with me Damon, that's all I've ever wanted. And I believe you, I do. Don't feel bad or anything, it's the truth. And sometimes it hurts and other times people need to hear it. So it's okay, Damon." Nilly said.

He smiled back at her. "God, you need another beer," he smirked.

Nilly rolled her eyes at him. "I think I need something a little stronger than a beer now," she said. He grabbed Bree's attention, who poured them two shots. Nilin watched Damon as he flirted with Bree until she went to help another customer, smiling at his jokes. Then he slid the shot to her.

"I'm going to help you," Nilly said as if she finally confirmed a decision in her head. She reminded herself of her father for a moment.

"With?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Getting Katherine out of the tomb," she answered.

Again that shocked expression came over Damon's face. "And why would you want to do that?" he asked suspicion in his voice.

Nilly just grinned at him. "Because that's Nilin Gilbert for you. That's what I do, I help the people I care about. And this Katherine chick clearly makes you happy, so" Nilly shrugged. Damon was quiet, he didn't say anything just looked her over. Nilin knew he was trying to see if there was a double motive or loophole that he couldn't find in her offer. "Really Damon? You're having a problem trusting _me_ now?" she asked. "If you should trust anyone, why not me?"

He held his glass in front of him. "If anyone, you," he said. Nilly tapped her glass with his and threw her head back, downing the shoot. Damon smiled at Nilly, a different smile. They had reached something, tonight. An understanding.

It was as if Nilin had been the one to bring the court room to an agreement. Her father would be proud.

* * *

Too many shots later, Nilly was surrounded by a group of people as they all tried to shoot their glasses back the fastest. For the third time in a row Nilly slammed her shot glass on the table first. Clapping her hands, she let out a tipsy "Woo!"

She turned to Damon who was wiping Tequila off his chin. "You missed a little," she teased.

He just smirked at her, "Sorry I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol."

"It's in the genes!" Nilly laughed, "Us Gilberts come from a long line of drinkers, you know?" She smiled and then turned to Bree. "Another round?" she asked.

Bree shook her head, her dark curls flailing about. "Honey, you should be on the ground," she said, flipping Nilly's glass over.

Nilly winked, "That's another thing, besides the whole jaw unhinging, my tolerance is way up here." She threw her hand in the air. Turning to a smirking Damon, she smiled, "I'm not even drunk yet."

All of a sudden her phone went off, vibrating the table. It was Jenna. Nilly fumbled with it as she backed away to the exit. Holding a finger up to Damon to tell him she'd be right back, Nilly pushed open the exit door. The wind blew, throwing Nilly's hair in her face as she hit the answer button.

"Hello?" she said as she struggled to pull her hair to one side.

"Nilly? Where are you? Are you okay?" her aunt asked.

"Huh? Yeah. No, I'm good. Everything's fine. Hold on, Jenna I can't hear you" Nilly said stumbling down the stairs a little bit. She caught herself on the railing as her aunt's voice became frantic in her ear.

"Everything is not fine." Jenna said. "I got a call from-" The phone flew out of Nilly hand as she clumsily tripped over her own foot, falling to the ground. She landed on the cement.

"Ouch, ow, ow," she complained brushing her knees off.

Her phone had slid off the sidewalk, she could still her Jenna's voice. "Hello?"

Nilly got up rubbing her wrist sorely and reached for her phone on the ground. When she stood up, chills went down her spine. The atmosphere had changed, the night was too silent, the air too cold. She held the phone to her ear, "I'm fine Jenna, I'll have to call you back." She hung up on her aunt, closing her fingers around the phone at her side.

Nilly scanned the dark back-parking lot. She stepped to turn around when a hand clamped over her mouth and she met his cold silver eyes. Nilly dropped her phone, but never heard it hit the concrete.

* * *

Damon had been watching Bree from the corner of his eyes. She kept throwing nervous glances at him. He caught her eye and smirked at her. The familiar sound of a panicked heartbeat filled his ears. Something wasn't right, she was keeping something from him.

"I'm going to give you another chance, Bree." Damon said casually, as she made the mistake of standing in front of him, the bar between them. Now that he had a new ally, Damon had renewed motivation to open that tomb. "How do I break the spell?"

Bree shook her head, he could hear her heartbeat pick up even more which confirmed his suspicious that she wasn't being up front with him. Using his inhumanly speed, he was over the bar and pushing Bree against the shelves of alcohol. He smirked as a gasp escaped her lips.

"The tomb can be opened," she stammered.

His eyes narrowed. "You're lying!" he said, tightening his grip on her.

"Emily's grimoire, her-her spell book." Bree blurted out. "If you know how she closed the tomb the reversal process will be in her book. You can open the tomb," she explained.

Damon relaxed his grip. "And where is this book?" he asked.

Bree's wide eyes darted away from his. "I-I-" she stuttered.

"You have no idea." Damon snapped.

She shook her head, swallowing hard. "No. I'm telling you the truth." Damon stepped away from her, walking around the bar.

He took the shot glass in his hand, drinking the contents. "Now was that so hard?" he said, slamming the glass on the counter and shattering it. He grabbed his leather jacket and headed for the door.

Getting what he wanted, Damon could finally find Nilin and leave. He went out the exit Nilin had awhile ago, leaving the bar and a still shaken Bree.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

There's Chapter Eighteen for you. I changed it up a little bit, Bree lives! Haha, tell me what you guys think, especially about what you thinks going to happen next. Guess who's back? Find out Friday :)  
Favorite, Follow & Review

RLS


	29. Chapter Nineteen: The One Good Reason

**Very Quick Note: **I will not be able to update tomorrow, Monday, like I normally do because I will be away and without a computer to access. So instead of being late, I thought I might as well update early! So here's the chapter that would normally go up tomorrow, but I'm doing it today. So long story short, there will be no update tomorrow. ENJOY!

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: The One Good Reason**

He looked around the parking lot, it was empty. No sign of Nilin. She couldn't possibly have gotten herself in trouble for the few minutes he wasn't watching her. But then something caught his attention, a slight shimmer in the light of the lamp post. Damon descended the cement stairs.

He picked up Nilin's phone from off the sidewalk and immediately he knew something was wrong.

Expanding his senses around him, he searched for any sign of her. The summer night held an eerie feeling, sending Damon's alertness on high. He felt something, a touch of his power brushing something off in the distance. Deciding to follow it, he made his way around Bree's Bar to what looked like an electrical building. There was a chain link fence around a metal platform that held some sort of conductor, storage tanks, and an old looking metal building, but nothing else.

"Damon, no!" Nilin cried. He whipped his head around to find her on the stairs of the platform. He went to go after her when suddenly he heard a sharp cracking noise and a fiery pain shot up his back. He was on the ground, a man hovering over him, baseball bat dangling in his hand.

"Damon!" he heard Nilin cry again. The man smirked, swinging the bat down and smashing Damon's leg. He heard the sound of bone crunching as the man did it again, stronger than any human. He did it a third time, causing Damon to yell out in pain.

"What the hell, man?!" he hissed through clenched teeth. All of a sudden Damon was being dosed with something, the smell filled his nose. _Gasoline…_ The vampire turned back to Damon, bat in hand again.

"Christian stop!" Nilly yelled and the man froze, bat mid swing. Damon's eyes shot to Nilin, she had run down the platform, and was stumbling towards them. But she was frozen now as well, eyes locked on the vampire, Christian.

_So this is the bastard,_ Damon thought.

The gasoline was overwhelming his senses as it seeped into his clothes, soaked in his hair and burned his eyes. A sharp scraping pain shot through his leg and back as he tried to figure a way to stand. He needed to somehow put himself between Nilin and Christian.

He looked back up at Nilly, she was ridged. Damon could hear her heartbeat raging from his place on the ground. Christian stopped, dropping the bat next to him and laughed.

"Stop, please." Nilly spoke up, her voice strong. It only caused Christian to laugh more.

"And why should I?" he asked her. "This asshole was playing with something that wasn't his."

Damon laughed. "Ha. Yeah, I'm the asshole," he said sarcastically, which earned him a rib cracking kick to the side. He heard Nilin yelling over his own groans of pain. He gasped as the air left his body, feeling as if his lungs were lined with shards of glass.

"Just leave him alone Christian! Don't hurt him, he didn't do anything," she said. Damon winced on the ground lifting his head to see Nilin, her cheeks wet with tears now. Christian had turned back to Nilly, and suddenly he was right in front of her.

"What, is he your boyfriend now? You think you could get rid of me that easily?" he laughed again. Nilly took a step back, Christian took a step forward. "Oh Nilly, Nilly," he shook his head. "Are you really going to try this again? You're _mine_, remember?"

Damon watched as she visibly shivered when Christian cupped her cheek with his hand. Nilin pushed his arm away, trying to get his hand off her cheek. She was suddenly on the ground, the sharp sound of skin on skin rung out. Damon gritted his teeth as he saw Nilly hold her hand to her cheek, hair falling over her shoulder.

If only his legs were working, that bastard would be dead. "Big strong vampire, right?" Damon chuckled breathlessly as he tried to sit up. "Picking on a poor defenseless human girl. I'm gonna take a shot at it and say you have some mommy issues. Am I right?"

Christian turned back to him, pulling something out of his pocket. "And who told you, you could talk?" he said, darkly. Damon heard a flicking noise and then he saw a flame in Christian's hand. He had pulled a lighter from his pocket.

Damon could see him now as he walked towards him, stepping under a lamp post. Christian had dusty blonde hair, slicked back away from his grey eyes. He was tall, around Damon's height but much taller than Nilly. He was wearing a dark green collared shirt, and dark jeans.

Honestly, Damon didn't understand what Nilin had seen in him.

Christian was looming over him now, lighter in hand. "Wait, wait!" Nilly said, she was standing again. Christian turned his head towards her, so did Damon.

"Just leave him alone, an-and I-I'll do whatever you want, anything," she called. Damon felt anger swell inside him along with that ache in his chest. _He_ was supposed to be protecting Nilin, not the other way around. What she said worked, though. Christian flicked the lighter closed, snuffing the flame and walking towards her.

Damon shakily got to his knees, feeling the bones in his leg slide back together. "Why do you care about him so much?" Christian asked standing in front of Nilin again.

She shrugged. "I don't, I just don't like to see people die for no reason." Damon could see her hand balled up at her sides as Christian swiped his hand through her hair, pulling at the ends and making Nilly's head tilt to the side.

"Oh but he has a reason," he told her, leaning down to her ear. Damon was ready to snap up and rip his head off when Nilin's eyes flashed up to Damon's. They were wide, scared but focused. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. Christian was to busy murmuring something in Nilly's ear to notice. She said it again, this time Damon read her lips_. Don't move, please_. He rocked back on his heels, pain ripping through his leg in response. He eyed her but nodded.

Christian released Nilly's hair, just to grab her chin, jerking her eyes away from Damon. He felt as if she was just torn away from him, but he did what Nilin said. He didn't move, instead he posed himself, ready to strike.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill him right now." Christian spat through clenched teeth.

"Because he means nothing to me, and you'd look silly if you did. I'm yours remember?" Nilly said. Damon almost believed it, her voice was so convincing but he knew her eyes too well. Those blue eyes held no emotion. They detached from her words.

Christian chuckled, his fingers running down Nilly's neck, tracing the faded bite mark. A smile came to his face as his hand wrapped around Nilly's throat. She choked out a gasp. Damon didn't even remember telling his body to move, but it did. He hurled himself at Christian, grabbing his shirt and throwing him back.

Nilly stumbled backwards, coughing slightly her hand on her chest. Damon turned to face him again, but Christian was quicker than he expected.

By the time Damon saw him he was on the ground once more, an agonizing sound coming from his splintered leg. Christian had found his bat again. He kicked Damon once more, sending him flying back and slamming into the metal wall of the electric building. He slid to the ground on his side, groaning. The pain made him see spots in his vision, but that soon subsided as his head snapped up, focusing on Nilin.

She was shaking as she faced Christian again, but her eyes looked past him and were on Damon. "You sure you don't care about him? You might want to tell him that, I don't think he got the message." Christian said. Nilly shook her head, her watering eyes leaving Damon's and snapping up to Christian's.

"I already told you," she said, fighting the waver in her voice. "Now, if you're going to take me, then do it already." Her teeth were clenched, like Damon's hands. He'd be damned if he let this psycho take her. But all Christian did was laugh that annoying laugh again, making Damon want to reach down his throat and pull out his tongue.

"I don't want you, _now_," he said slowly. "I haven't had my fun yet. But trust me, when I'm ready I will have you." He smiled at her, Nilly's hands began to shake. Damon watched, pain still raking his body, as Christian slammed his lips into Nilin's, forcing her back. Damon struggled to get up, but something important seemed to be broken.

Nilin's eyes were squeezed shut, her body stiff, her hands balled in fist as Christian forced a kiss on her. Then suddenly she was standing alone, yards from Damon. She was frozen, her body not moving. Her eyes relaxed open slowly, focusing on him. Everything was still for a moment.

Then she was running, stumbling towards him. "Damon!" she cried. She skidded to a halt, nearly falling on top of him. Helping him sit up against the building, Damon was able to see her up close. Her lips were swollen, her upper lip bleeding slightly, and blood trickling out of her nose.

Nilin was frantically checking him over, oblivious of her own injuries. Tears were wetting her cheeks and dripping off her chin though. Nilin touched the blood that was trickling out her nose. She looked down at her red stained fingertips. Her chest began puffing in and out hysterically.

"Hey, hey. Shh. You're okay." Damon said, holding her to him. She leaned in to him, wrapping her arms around his chest. "Shh, you're okay." He stroked her hair as the crying turned to sobs. Damon noticed that her breathing was heavy and abnormally rapid.

He pulled her away from him to look at her face. Even in the dim light under the lamp post her skin was pale. Her chest was moving up and down even quicker now, almost gasping for a breath. Her hands, gripping his shirt, were shaking, as she struggled for a deep enough lungful of air.

"Nilin, what's wrong?" Damon asked. She shook her head back and forth. One of her hands loosened from his shirt and went to her chest. "Look at me," he said, holing her face gently between his hands.

"Breathe Nilin, calm down," he murmured softly. Her eyes were locked on him, but she was still struggling. He removed one of his hands from her cheeks and grabbed her trembling hand. He placed her hand flat on his chest as he breathed evenly.

"Match my breathing Nilin," he said, keeping his eyes on her. Sure enough the tremors through her body stopped and her breathing slowed. "Much better," he said, still holding her hand to his chest still. Nilin slowly lean her forehead on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry." Damon stroked her hair again, tucking it behind her ear. He held her like that, comforting her until he heard her heartbeats even out once more.

Damon had never seen that side of Nilin before. The sarcastic, twisted humored, captivating girl crumbled at the sight of this one vampire. What kinds of things must one go through for that to happen? He saw Nilin's crack in the surface of her façade she's been building up, but at the same time he witnessed her fire. Under that battered mess of a girl, burned a light that each one of Damon's senses could feel. He saw the strongest and weakest sides of her tonight, which left him more amazed by her than ever.

He stood up slowly, pulling her with him. They both stumbled, her more than him but they managed to get back to his Camaro. He helped her into the car, draping his leather jacket over her and then went around to the driver's side. Nilin's eyes were already closed by the time he started the engine.

* * *

Nilly didn't realize she had fallen asleep, until she woke up to her head hitting something hard. "Ow," she complained rubbing her forehead. She blinked her eyes a few times, realizing what she hit her head on, the car window. She was still in Damon's Camaro, slumping in the passenger seat. She sat up, pulling the jacket laid on her up so it covered the goose bumps prickling her arms.

She turned her head to a grinning Damon, clearly he had seen Nilly wham her head into the glass. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked quietly, embarrassment reddening her cheeks. He shrugged, looking at her.

"Not long, a few miles." Damon answered.

"Oh," she replied. Nilly didn't really know what to say. So instead she pulled her legs under her, wrapping herself in the jacket. It held a faint leather smell and something completely Damon. She breathed it in as she leaned her head back on the seat.

"How are you doing?" he asked quietly.

"I'll make it, if that's what you're asking," Nilly answered sarcastically with a grin on her face. She became more serious though. "Thank you for what you did tonight." She shook her head a little, feeling the build up of tear in her throat. She refused to let them out in from of Damon again. Nilly absolutely hated crying, especially in front of others. "I just wish you weren't thrown into this."

"You mean the metal wall?" Damon joked, trying to get her to smile.

She rolled her eyes, but it worked. "No, you know what I mean. I didn't want you, or anyone else, in this situation. The whole reason why I came back to MysticFalls was so something like that didn't happen," she explained.

"Yeah, but I heal extremely fast, so it's fine," he shrugged.

"You might, but Elena doesn't, Bonnie doesn't, Jeremy doesn't."

Damon took his eyes off the road, capturing her gaze. "You think he's really going to go after them?" he asked.

"He went after you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but he thought I was your boyfriend or something."

"Pff, ha." Nilin laughed awkwardly at the mention of the b-word again. "Imagine what he'll do when he finds out I have cousins, friends." Nilly said, playing it off.

"Friends?" Damon gasped mockingly in pretend shock.

"Shut it," Nilly smiled at him.

"Here's a deal. You help me get Katherine, I'll help you kill him," he said causally.

Nilly's heart almost stopped. She shook her head furiously. "No. No, you can't do that. I don't want you near him, I can't see you or anyone else get hurt again," she said, hating the fact that her voice shook a little. "You don't need to do that, I can handle myself."

Damon laughed, "Yeah, you really handled it tonight."

"I saved your life, didn't I?" she shot back.

"I guess you did," he said slowly, keeping his eyes on the road.

"And don't you forget it." Nilly smiled as she rested her head back again. "I just need everyone to stop worrying about me," she sighed.

"You make that kind of hard, you know?" Damon smirked.

"Really?" she asked, lifting her head up to glare at him. "Elaborate?"

"If someone cares about you, you have to expect they'll worry," he said seriously.

Nilly just sighed, fooling with the chain on her wrist under the jacket. "It's easier not to care." Nilly confessed.

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Damon smiled. Nilly returned the smile shyly again. "Can I ask you a question?" he continued.

"Sure," Nilly said cautiously.

"What happened back there?" Damon asked quietly, turning his gaze on Nilly again.

He didn't need to say anything else, Nilin knew what he was talking about. She didn't look at him, her eyes stayed on her lap as she sighed. His attention off the road, but Nilly wasn't really worried since her chauffeur was a vampire and all.

"It's like a panic attack, but it feels more like my body's going haywire," she explained. "I usually can control it, calm myself down. But, like tonight, some are just really bad."

"What triggers them?" Nilly shrugged and answered.

"Usually something traumatic, or if I get worked up over something. But, I've gotten them for no reason before, something's gets my heart racing, one thing leads to another and suddenly I can't breathe." Damon nodded, his eyes focused off in the distance.

"I'm used to them." Nilly said, trying to down play it, but she didn't have him fooled.

He just side looked her, eyebrows raised. "When did they start?" he asked again.

She sat up a little. She didn't mind telling Damon these things, it was almost the same feeling she got when she talked to Magnolia and Shellie. It kind of reminded her of when they used to sit together in the Common.

"When my mom passed away," she said softly. Damon's eyes were off the road, locked on hers. "Cancer," she explained. "She'd beat it before when I was younger and everyone thought she'd beat it again, but…" her voice trailed off. "That's when everything seemed to go downhill."

"I have a limited memory of my mother." Damon spoke up. Nilly shifted in her seat to look at him. His eyes were lost in the night sky, probably years away. "She died when Stefan was born," he explained. "We were raised by my ass of a father." Damon said, returning to the present with one of his smirks on his face.

"Don't fathers just suck?" Nilly joked, scrunching her nose. Damon laughed. "Can I ask _you_ something?" Nilly said.

"Sure." Damon mimicked. Nilly bit her lip, not sure how to asked her question.

"When did you die, Damon?" she spoke slowly.

There was a pause before he answered. "1864," he said.

Nilly nodded, for some reason she felt like she should be more surprised or something about this. But the fact was that she was actually intrigued by it.

"That doesn't freak you out?" Damon asked, leering with an eyebrow raised.

Nilly smiled. "It takes a lot to freak me out these days." He laughed again, rolling his eyes. "You have to tell me about it one day," she said sitting back in the seat again.

"Tell you about what?" Damon asked, confused.

"Your life," she said simply.

A smile slowly came to his face, as if he was trying to hide it. "Maybe…" he joked as he turned back to the windshield. "So is it safe to say you don't hate me anymore?"

"Maybe…" Nilly just smiled, snuggling back on the chair, his jacket still wrapped around her.

* * *

It was early morning, Nilly had watched the sun rise over MysticFalls cemetery. She sat with Damon's jacket still draped over her shoulders, kneeling in the grass in front of her mother's grave. She wasn't ready to go back to Elena's house, and Damon offered to take her somewhere else. This is where they ended up.

He sat next to her, legs stretched in front of him, leaning his back on another headstone. She was quiet for a while as he twirled a blade of grass with his fingers. They did talk though eventually.

He told her about what Bree had said, how they needed the grimoire of the witch who cast the spell and find the reversal to it. He told her about the tomb, where it was, how he found it. Even about how he had seen Katherine being taken away to it on the last night of his mortal life.

Then he told her about the other vampires, how they had met the same fate as Katherine.

"What are you planning to do about them? You can't just let them go free." Nilly urged, resting back on her heels. Damon shrugged. "I could careless," he said.

Nilly glared at him. "Damon," she said.

"Alright, alright," he said, lifting his hand up. "We'll torch the others, get Katherine out and kill the rest. Everyone's happy."

Nilly just starred at him, "Fine, anything else you're not telling me?"

His lips pouted downward as he thought for a moment, then he looked at her and smiled. "Nope."

"Good, and it better stay that way." Nilly told him as she turned back to the headstone.

He began to tell her about Katherine, how they met and so on. And Nilly had reconfirmed her promise to help him. Still he looked at her with questioning eyes, but her reason stayed the same. Katherine seemed to make him happy, that's all Nilly wanted.

But she secretly hoped that once he'd find Katherine, he'd leave town and get far away from her and Christian. After what happen last night, Nilly realized she couldn't stand to see Damon get hurt again, especially by the psychopathic Christian. It was one less person she needed to worry about, even though the goodbye would be inevitably painful.

Nilly told him about Christian, the whole story. When she got choked up he'd place his hand on hers, or catch a tear that escaped with his knuckle. It helped a lot, enough for her to tell him even more. More than she told Elena and Stefan, but for some reason she couldn't get herself to show Damon the scars.

Nilly kept the leather jacket secured around her, letting it and the morning sun warm her up as she told him everything. He listened to her, sometimes his eyes off into the distance, other times his fist would clench or his eyes would glare. Most of the time he just watched her face as she pulled at the grass in front of her and talked.

After a while she started to yawn and her eyelids began to droop. Damon talked her into going home, finally facing Elena. Reluctantly she stood, placed a pebble on top of her mother's grave and made her way to Damon's car.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **So as you read at the top, this is Monday's chapter done on Sunday. The rest of the publishing schedule will be normal after this, so Chapter 20 will be coming this Wednesday. Tell me what you guys thoughts up this chapter. Big, bad, Christian's back. Uh-oh...  
Well I hope you guys had a fantastic weekend, I'll be seeing you Wednesday!

You know what to do, _Favorite, Follow & Review!_  
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	30. Chapter Twenty: The Truth- Part 1

**Chapter Twenty: The Truth- Part 1**

Elena sat at the counter, staring down at her untouched bowl of cereal. She had gotten dressed this morning in a numb haze, throwing on a white tank top, a pair of jeans and some sandals. She hadn't seen Nilin for almost two days now and all she needed was for Nilly to be home. Elena couldn't stand not having her here, especially since she's had the massive secret weighing her down. Elena's heart welled up. She was missing Nilly, yet she was furious at Nilly. Elena still held the guilt in her chest of what transpired a few nights ago.

She stirred the over bloated corn puffs with her spoon. Elena wasn't the only one missing Nilly. The house held an eerie silence when she wasn't here. Everyone felt it, causing Jenna to repeatedly ask her when Nilly would be back. The thing was, Elena didn't have an answer. She gave up calling her phone a while ago, so now all she had to do was wait.

The door bell rang, Elena slid off the stool and padded out of the kitchen. She had asked Stefan to come over this morning. Any longer in the quiet house and her head would explode. She opened the door to a slightly grinning Stefan, hands in his jean pockets, green eyes on her.

"Hi," she said quietly as she stepped out of the way to let him in.

"Hello," he said pecking her on the lips. She took his hand and led him into the kitchen where her soggy cereal still sat. Elena dumped it down the drain and sat back on the stool across from Stefan.

"So…" he said softly as Elena put her head down. "How are you?"

She shook her head. "Fine I guess, just this worrying is killing me. Plus when she _does_ come back I have to dump all of this on her. I'm afraid." Elena confessed, "What if this sends her back out there running?"

Stefan nodded, "You just have to see it from Nilly's point of view and how she's dealing with all this. All these secrets that have been piling up are crashing down on her and the way she's finding them out isn't ideal. Take it slowly, don't ramble it all out in a second. She won't be able to handle it," he said.

"Okay, but-" Elena went to say, but Stefan's head turned away from her and towards the door. That's when Elena heard the sound of the front door opening. She pushed off the stool and went out of the kitchen.

She saw Nilly, slowly closing the door behind her. A leather jacket around her, she was still wearing the black top and white shorts she had left in. Nilly turned around, her eyes locking on Elena. There was a moment of silence. Elena felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she slowly started towards Nilly. Suddenly they were both running down the hall, slamming in to each other. Elena's arms immediately wrapped around Nilly and she felt her do the same.

They were both clutching on to one another, head's buried in each others shoulders. "I'm sorry," Elena was mumbling over again. "I'm so sorry."

Nilly was shaking her head, "It's okay, it's okay Elena." Nilly pulled back from her. She wiped the tears from Elena's cheeks. "I was never mad, just hurt. I over reacted, I let my feelings get the best of me. I let it cloud my judgment. I ran out of here like a banshee and paid the consequences. Someone told me this would happen, and they warned me about my emotions. I guess I forgot," she was saying.

Elena looked at her, "What are you talking about?"  
"I had a dream Elena, of my mom. She told me I would uncover secrets and she made me promise not to be mad or bitter. She told me that I had to look past that and forgive. I thought it off as just a dream and nothing more. I forgot, but on the way home I remembered. I remembered what my mother said, it made sense." Nilly choked out, as she felt like she would started crying.

"But not of this should have ever happened. This has all been my entire fault. I was trying to look out for you Nilin, like you've done for me all these years but I screwed up. And I'm just so sorry."

"Elena, I understand," was all Nilin answered, hugging her again. Nilin was the cool, calm, collective one. She saw everything from a cloud high above any situation. She was such a pure soul, Elena realized, who could see things others can't.

"There is something else I need to tell you." She felt Nilly go stiff in her arms and pull away slowly.

"What could I have possibly missed?" Nilly groaned slowly.

Elena stepped back, "Why don't we go into the kitchen?" Nilly eyed her suspiciously, anxiety flashing across her face. Even though she hesitated, Nilly did follow her. Elena went in sat on the stool again, Stefan was next to her now. She watched as Nilly walked in and froze in the doorway, eyes flashing between her and Stefan.

"Maybe you should sit, Nil." Elena suggested.

Nilly shook her head. "I'm okay," she said. There was a silent pause again, Elena not knowing what to say. "What is it Elena? Just spit it out already." Nilly said with a strained voice.

Elena took a deep breath, staring at Nilly. "What did Damon tell you about Katherine?" she said slowly. Nilly's eyebrows pulled together as she leaned on the door frame.

"Is this what this is all about?" Nilin questioned them.

"Yes and no, just answer please." Elena pushed, seeing Nilin's annoyance.

"Fine, well he told me the truth if you're wondering…" she answered. "He told me we looked a like." There was a pause and then Nilly said softly, "That he thought I was her the first time we met."

Elena nodded, surprised that Damon had actually said that. Elena didn't expect Damon to be the truthful kind. What'd Nilly do to get that information out of him? Elena looked to Stefan who was silently standing next to her, arms on the table.

He stood up straighter, looking at Nilly. "Damon and I met Katherine back in 1864. We both fell in love with her," he said slowly. "But then we found out her secret, I realized she had been compelling us. That none of it was real, but by then it was too late. We had died, transitioned and she was gone."

"Dragged away into Fell's Church, right?" Nilin said, shocking both Elena and Stefan. "He told me." Nilly explained. "How they rounded all the vampires up and locked them in the church, then they burnt it."

"Ri-right," he answered, seeming just as surprised as Elena at the fact Nilly knew this.

"I don't understand though, what does that have to do with anything?" she asked.

"That was back in 1864, Nilly. We thought she had died that day, but then I came back to MysticFalls more than a hundred years later and I saw Elena." Stefan continued. "Like you said before, when Damon first met you, when I first saw Elena I thought she was Katherine," he confessed. "But I realized she wasn't, I learned more about her and it was clear. But the resemblance was too close to just be a coincident. That's when I discovered something." Stefan said, turning back to Elena.

Elena took a shaky breath and looked at Nilly. Her eyes were on Elena, arms crossed over her chest. "He found something wrong, things that didn't add up. Our birth certificates looked normal, our parents are listened on them but when we look at the past history, there's nothing that shows either one of our mothers were pregnant." Elena explained.

"Wh-what are you saying?" Nilly asked.

"Our mothers never… they never gave birth to us Nilly," she said.

There was a pause and then Nilly started to laugh. "What are you talking about Elena? Of course they did," she said between giggles.

"Think about Nilly, when you were born your mother was going through her end stages of chemo and starting radiation. Do you know how unlikely it is to not only conceive but carry a baby full term during that? It's almost impossible." Elena urged.

"But not completely," Nilly shot back.

Elena shook her head. "Nilly that's the only record of your mom ever being in the hospital, for the cancer. My mother had no history indicating she was pregnant, no check up, no admissions, nothing."

"Are you trying to say that our parents aren't our parents or something?" Nilly asked, walking over to the island with her eyes glaring.

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Nilly." Elena confirmed softly.

"What would that mean?:" Nilin questioned. "That we're, what? Adopted?"

"That's exactly what that means, Nilin." Stefan answered. Instead taking a moment and letting everything sink in, Nilin was being Nilin and started rambling.

"How is that possible, we look a like, we're cousins…" Nilly's voice trailed off. "We're not cousins, are we?"

Elena shook her head. Then Stefan spoke up again, "You're sisters, Nilly."

Nilly starred at him for a moment, complete and utter shock on her face as the words finally made their way in. She leaned back on the kitchen wall, the leather jacket falling slightly off her shoulder.

"How-how is that even possible? We're not even the same age, I'm older than her. I've always been older than her." Nilly stammered.

"Nilly," Elena said. "My dad was head doctor in the hospital we were born in, your dad basically ran the court house." Nilly stared at her, her head shaking back and forth slightly. "They changed the date, Nilly. They wrote the birth certificates, they changed the dates and put their names on it. We were born on the same day," she continued. "Nilin we're twins."

Elena was afraid Nilly was about to faint, her eyes were huge and her face held a pale sickly color. Nilly slid down the wall, sitting on the floor with a thump. Elena went around the island to her, and knelt beside her.

"How does this link back to Katherine?" she asked with her head in her hands.

"We think it's the reason you and me look exactly like her. Stefan said she must have had a child before she turned." Elena answered. Nilly nodded.

"Is there anymore, any reason that we'd look like her?" Nilly asked.

Elena hadn't thought about it really, there was other more important question on her mind. "Not that we know, yet."

"Have you talked to anyone about this?" she asked.

Elena shook her head, "I was hoping you'd talk to your dad."

Nilly was quiet for a moment. "I don't want to know," she said quietly.

Elena stared at her in confusion. "What do you mean 'you don't want to know'? Don't you have questions?" Elena asked, standing up. Nilly stood too.

"I don't want to know, Elena. This doesn't change the way I look at my parents, or anything. I don't want to go after the people who gave us up. I don't want to know anything about them. This is a good thing Elena, we're sister. Something we always joked about being and now it's actually true. Why should we go chasing after these ghosts when all it's going to do is change this?"

"But aren't you curious as to why our parents did it, why they kept us and didn't hand us off to some adoption agency?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, I guess. But if we ask that question we're also opening this up for even more questions and probably answers were not going to like." Nilly answered.

"Fine, you might not want to know, but I do," she said, leaning on the counter. Elena could see why Nilly wouldn't want to take this any farther. What she was dealing with in her life right now was enough on her plate, so Elena understood. But that didn't mean she wasn't bubbling with questions.

"All I want to know is why our parents never told us, why we had to find out like this." Nilly said quietly, scratching her head.

"I want to know that too." Elena said just a softly. A silence fell over the kitchen for a little. Nilly's eyes drooping, focused on something out the window. Elena's own eyes were on the floor as she walked back over to Stefan.

Then Nilly, broke the quite. "I still get to be the oldest though, right?" she asked, her head popping up. They laughed, even Stefan couldn't help but smile.

"Sure Nilly, I'm still the more responsible one either way." Elena replied.

"I can't even argue, because it's true." Nilly sighed, causing them to all laugh again, but then Elena noticed Nilly's face sober as she walked over and sat on one of the island's stool.

"Well since you two drop a bomb on me, I see it only fit if I do the same," she said, stopping all the laughter and dropping all the smiles. Stefan and Elena exchanged nervous glances.

"Go on." Stefan said.

"Well, I'm guessing you know about the vampires in the tomb under the old FellsChurch. And that you just neglected to inform me," Nilly said slowly. Elena and Stefan were quiet. "Don't worry, Damon told me. He also told me about Katherine and how she's one of them down there. He also told me about his plan to get her out, which I'm assuming you know about." The room went quiet, and Nilly just nodded her head once.

"By the awkward silence, I'm guessing you're not going to like this then," she continued slowly.

"What is it Nilin?" Elena said, feeling edgy.

"I told Damon I'd help him open the tomb." Nilly said cautiously, eyes glued to the countertop.

"You what?" Elena snapped. "Why would you do that?"

"I have my reasons, Elena," she said, her eyes pinning Elena's.

Nilly looked to Stefan. "You know as well as I do that Damon is still in love with Katherine. We both also know she's the main reason he came back to MysticFalls, so once he has her…"

"He'll leave." Stefan finished Nilly's sentence. Elena looked back and forth between Nilly and Stefan.

"And that would solve all our problems…" Nilly said softly.

"It makes sense. So you help him and say he is actually reunited with Katherine then what?" Elena asked.

Nilin slid off the stool, pulling the jacket around her tighter. "Then they ride into the sunset or some bullshit like that, I guess." She headed for the door. "I'm going to go upstairs, I'm in desperate need of a shower." Nilly said, before leaving the room.

When she was out of hearing distance Elena turned to Stefan. "That didn't go like I expected," she said. Stefan just shook his head. "So what are we going to do now?"

"We help Damon." Stefan said.

"We what?" Elena eyes widened. "You aren't seriously thinking we play along with Nilin's plan, are you?"

Stefan put his hand on Elena's shoulder. "I'll tell Damon we'll help him, but it's a lie. I'll let him believe he could trust me." Stefan explained. Elena nodded. "It's going to be a lie though, Elena. You have to realize that Nilin's going to be on the other side of this, I think she honestly wants to help Damon. But they can't open that tomb and I don't want you to go against Nilin. You two don't need that right now."

"I understand, I just want to protect her and it's going to take a lot more than a rescue mission to make me forget who Damon is and everything he's done," she said.

"I don't want to be his enemy, Elena." Stefan said, his hands slipping from her shoulders. "But I can't let him do it." Elena put her hands on either side of Stefan face, forcing his dark emerald eyes on her.

"Then don't, and I'll help you, whatever it takes. Okay?" she said softly. Elena knew Damon couldn't let Katherine or the other vampires out of the tomb. She didn't know Nilly's reasons for aiding Damon, but she had to keep Nilly safe.

"Okay." Stefan smiled, leaning in to kiss Elena.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Hello my lovelies, Chapter Twenty is three parts so here's 1/3 of it. Hope you enjoyed, I would really like to know what you guys are thinking and that means _**REVIEW**__**.**_ Please, please, please, give me some kind of feed back here. At least after 20 chapters, haha. I take it all, the compliments and the criticism. So Favorite, Follow & Review. I will see you all on Friday.  
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	31. Chapter Twenty: The Truth- Part 2

**Chapter Twenty: The Truth- Part 2**

Nilly was sitting on the floor of the guestroom. She had finally showered. Her hair braided over her shoulder, dripped ans dampened her shirt. She had on a pink tank top and a pair of her fluffiest sweatpants. Her mother's navy blanket was draped over her shoulder as she sat crossed legged on her floor, looking over the Gilbert journal she had borrowed from Jeremy a lifetime ago. She had almost forgotten that it was stashed under the mattress.

Now it laid in front of her as she squinted at the faded looped writing of her ancestor Jonathan Gilbert. He was known as the first of the Gilberts to lose there minds and find sanity at the bottom of a bottle. From the dates in the journal entries, Nilly guessed this was written right in the middle of 1864, when MysticFalls was resident to many vampires and when he was still coherent.

There was a knock on her door, Nilly quickly closed the journal sliding it under her bed. "Come in," she called, pulling the blanket around her tighter. Nilly expected to see Elena or Jeremy poke their head in, but not Stefan. He opened the door slowly, stepping into her room. He was dressed in a plain grey t-shirt and jeans but still looked impeccable. Well, good looks was one thing the Salvatore brothers had in common.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" he asked. Nilly smiled and patted the floor in front of her. Stefan came over and sat down soundlessly. "How are you holding up?" he asked.

"It hasn't fully sunken in yet, but I've been through worse," she answered.

"You have and that's why I wanted to apologize for everything that's happened. I never meant to deceive you or take advantage in anyway. It's just my situation, and Elena's, is very delicate," he explained, his green eyes on hers. "I want you to know that you can still trust me. I'll be there for you, even if it takes a while to regain your trust. I'll understand."

"Thanks Stefan," Nilin smiled. "No offense but I have trouble trusting anyone. I've always had issues with that kind of thing," she confessed, her gaze falling to the floor.

Stefan laughed softly. "Don't worry, I get it. It's hard to let people in when you've hurt so much." Nilly nodded, fiddling with her fingers.

"It's not that," Nilly paused. "Well, I guess it is that." She looked up at Stefan. "It's just that, people hurt you. No matter who they are, they hurt you. Even if they never meant to, it's inevitable. And I've learned to expect and accept it."

Stefan nodded. "You don't want to push people away though, Nilly. It could get lonely."

"Yeah, but it seems like the farther people are from me the safer." Nilly said.

Stefan was silent for a moment then he nodded his head once. "That's why you're helping Damon, isn't it?" He asked. Damn these Salvatore brothers' wits, Nilly grumbled in her head.

She looked at Stefan, face expressionless. "Like I said, I have my reasons."

He looked at her for a moment before he casted his eyes down. "It's going to take that one person to open you back up again for you to realize how lonely you really were."

"And what if that one person gives you even more reasons to cut yourself off?" Nilin asked.

"Well, then," Stefan thought for a moment. "Then that's not the right person for you." Nilly just huffed a laugh as she picked lint balls off her blanket. "Elena's told me a lot about you since you've arrived, mostly when you two were younger." Stefan said, changing the subject. "I think she'd never mentioned you before because it was too painful for her. She's missed you deeply, they all have. You might think that isolating yourself is helping everyone, but really you're still hurting them."  
Nilly shook her head. "The emotional pain can't kill you, physical can. Believe me," she replied. She knew Stefan was trying to help, she could see his point but there's only so much you can say to someone without being in their shoes.

"What I'm trying to say here is if something happens to you, I want you to realize it would be devastating to a lot of people. More than you might think."

"You would just be a wreck, wouldn't you Stefan?" Nilin asked exaggeratedly, with a smirk on her lips.

Stefan laughed. "Oh, definitely."

"I mean, you'd have to deal with Elena alone," she gasped in phony horror.

"Hey, I've been doing a pretty good job so far," he said standing.  
"Yeah, I guess you're okay," Nilin shrugged, smiling.

Stefan chuckled again. "Goodnight, Nilly," he said softly.

"'Night Stefan," she said. He went to leave, hand on the door knob when she called after him. He popped his head back in, "Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said with a smile. He returned her smile and nodded.

"You are welcome." And than Nilly was alone again in her room. She crawled into bed, laying on top of the covers with only the blanket covering her. She was glad Stefan had come to talk to her, it was sweet that he was worried. But now she stared up at the ceiling, their conversation reeling through her head.  
She went through every decision she'd made the past few days, every consequence, every reason. Mostly she was trying to figure out what she was doing with her life. Nilly may seem to have it all in control all the time, but god was that a lie. Process, Accept, Move on.

Christian was still out there, and worst case scenario he knew where she was. He had attacked Damon and her, and promised he'd be back, back for her. Nilly would have to be ready. She wasn't going to allow anyone else get hurt, she promised herself that.

On top of that, Nilly had now promised Damon she'd help get his past lover out of the burnt remains of the ancient FellsChurch. How hard could that be? Nilly knew she could figure something out. Bree had told Damon they need a reversal spell from Emily's grimoire. They needed to find it, Nilly knew the answer was somewhere in front of her. She'd just have to unbury it.

Nilly was hoping that once Damon had gotten Katherine out of the tomb he'd leave town. This was her way of keeping him safe, even if he didn't realize it. And, as painful as it is, she had to do it. Damon had already come lethally close to Christian. She wasn't going to let that happen again. Now Nilly only had to get Bonnie, Stefan, Elena, Jeremy and Jenna somewhere safe. Perfect…

Then there was the Gilbert's secret that had just been unearthed. The secret adoption and the crap load of things that just didn't make sense. But Nilly stuck with her decision, she didn't want to know anything about it. Maybe down the road if she lived to twenty, she'd look into it. Give her dad a call and ask him about it. But right now, at this moment in her life, it was the least of her worries.

Process.

Nilly was in MysticFalls, she was in her Aunt and Uncles house. Elena was downstairs, Jeremy across from her, and Jenna down the hall. She had a blanket her mother had knitted and given to her best friend as a birthday gift wrapped around her. Her cousin wasn't her cousin anymore, she wasn't an only child. She had a sister, a sister she had grown up with her entire life calling 'cousin'. A sister who sat with her for endless hours while she cried, one who wiped her tears away. A sister who Nilly waited for to wake up in the hospital because Nilly was the one to tell her that her parents were dead. A sister who Nilly would do anything for, one she looked up to, one she protected and was protected by.

Along with that, one of Nilly's closet friends was a witch. Her cousin- no her sister's boyfriend was a vampire. And he had a vampire brother with the darkest midnight eyes that made Nilin's breath catch and her heart melt. The vampire brother who's heart was on another girl, but asked if you could love two people at once. And Nilly was in the middle of all this.

Accept.

She turned over, eyes shutting as a tear just managed to escape. She'd wake up in the morning and face another day, just like she'd been doing everyday these past years. Then she'd do it the next day and the next, until fate finally caught up with her.

Move on.

* * *

Stefan stepped through the door of the boarding house cautiously. He had felt his brother's presence the moment he pulled in the driveway. It was only confirmed by the slight smell of bourbon and the dull thump coming from upstairs. Stefan climbed the steps slowly, soundlessly ascending on hopes of catching Damon off guard and find out what he was doing.

No luck though, the moment Stefan walked into his room Damon called out, "Well look who's home, another night of bunny-munching?" Damon was standing by one of Stefan's bookshelves, carelessly skimming through it.

"If you must know, I was making sure you brought Nilin back in one piece." Stefan said, stopping in front of his desk arms crossed.

"Oh and how is our little friend?" Damon asked causally as he flipped the pages of one of Stefan's old journals.

Stefan felt his muscles tense up in annoyance. "She's fine Damon, not that you would care."

Damon just laughed at the journal, dropping it back on the desk. "That's right I'm the dark, manic one and you're the boring, brooding one," he said with a cocky smile.

Stefan did his best to ignore his brother as he walk over to his desk and opened the bottom draw. Stefan pulled out an old leather journal, wound tight and bound closed. He handed it to Damon, who eyed it questionably. "Why are you giving me dad's journal?" he asked, but he continued to take it.

"Cause you were looking for it." Stefan answered, crossing his arms again.

"Why would I want it?" Damon inquired as he waved the ancient book in the air.

Stefan just smirked. "Gee, I don't know Damon. Maybe you wanna do a little posthumous bonding. Go ahead, enjoy it, read it. I have," he said, walking back over to his bed. "Nowhere in it does it say anything about Katherine or the tomb or how to open it."

Damon was silent for a moment. "I'm not surprised. Man could barely spell his own name," he said, tucking the journal under his arm.

Stefan smiled, "I'm really sorry that it won't be of any help with your diabolical plan, the sequel." Stefan continued, staring at his brother. "You know, I could help you."

Damon stared at him for a moment, his eyebrows pulling together. Stefan saw the slight flash of surprise, and doubt before Damon composed himself again, a smirk coming to his face.

"You? Help me? Aw, I don't know. Seems a little unnatural," he said, walking closer to Stefan.

Stefan kept his face emotionless, as he stared at him. "I'll do anything to get you out of this town," he paused. "Even release Katherine."

Damon's smirk grew as he glared at Stefan with cocky distrust. "What are you doing? Hmm? What's your angle, baby brother?" He asked, right in front of Stefan now.

"Think about it," was all Stefan answered returning Damon's grin with his own.

"Why would I trust you?" Damon asked, sticking Stefan's chest with his pointer finger.

Stefan let out a low chuckle. "See, that's your problem, Damon. You apply all of your shortcomings to everybody else. If history's any indication, there's only one liar among us," he shot back.

Damon just glared at him, his obsidian eyes like daggers. "And how does your little girlfriend feel about this?" Damon asked. Stefan just smiled, taking a step closer to his brother.

"Anything to get you away from Nilin," he answered.

Damon just laughed and walked around Stefan. "Well it looks like we're one big team now, doesn't it?" he said, leaving Stefan's room with their father's journal still tucked under his arm. "Don't screw it up!" Damon called.

Stefan heard his footsteps bang down the stairs as an accomplished smile came over his face. Maybe this would be easier that he thought.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**  
Part two of three up! Thank you to all the new Followers and Favorites I've gotten recently. You guys are fantastic and I hope you all have a terrific weekend! And, like always, remember to Favorite, Follow & Review!  
See you guys Monday,  
RLS

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	32. Chapter Twenty: The Truth- Part 3

**Chapter Twenty: The Truth- Part 3**

The next morning, Nilly knew what she had to do. She stared at the phone on her bed as she paced the room. She was biting her nails to nubs, trying to talk herself into picking up the phone. Nilly didn't want to call her father, she didn't want to find out about the adoption. But she knew she had too, it was the least she could do to get Elena off her back.

With a groan Nilly grabbed the phone off the bed and dialed the number quickly. As it rang, Nilly found herself praying for the voicemail. But, of course, that's exactly what she didn't get. There was a click on the other line and than a familiar voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Mildred, hey it's Nilly," she replied.

"Nilly, sweetheart. Is something wrong?" Mil asked.

"Oh no, no. I was just trying to get a hold of my dad." Nilly said, sinking down on her bed.

"Well, he already left for work peaches. I can tell him you called when he gets home." Mildred suggested.

"No, it's okay. Forget about it." There was a pause as Nilly took a deep breath. "Maybe, you can help me with something," she said reluctantly.

"What's a matter?" Mil asked. Nilly scrambled for the words, her mind going blank.

"Did- Do you know… Do you know about me and Elena?" she stammered out. The other end of the line was silent.

"As in what, peaches?" Mildred asked, clearly confused. Nilly took another deep breath and just said it.

"As in us being sisters, adopted," she said quietly. Mildred made a tisk-tisk noise.

"How'd this come about?" she asked.

"Elena was digging and found something that didn't match up. It was just a hunch until she confronted Jenna, whose face alone confirmed it." Nilly explained.

"Mhm," Mildred hummed slowly. "Don't be mad at Jenna, peaches. She never thought she'd have to tell you. Your mothers were going to at one point or another."

"Yeah, but neither of them are here so I'm asking you Mil." Nilly said. "I looked at my birth certificate and it has Rocklynn and Jack Gilbert as my birthparents. The same with Elena's, hers had Uncle Grayson and Aunt Miranda's names on it as her parents. It doesn't make sense."

"Your daddy's a lawyer Nilly, your uncle was a doctor." Mildred said. "They took care of it."

"But why? That's what I don't understand, why?" Nilly stressed, putting her head in her hand.

"It was kept very quiet, only a few people know the truth and I only know bits of it." Mildred answered, her voice sounding shaky.

"What do you know?"

"That one night, your Uncle Grayson was leaving his office when a girl showed up. She was 16, a runaway and about to give birth. That dear man took her in and delivered you and Elena. He called your father at one point and Jack gave her a place to stay." Mildred continued. "But a few days later she was gone, she disappeared leaving you two behind. They didn't want to lose you or your sister and, like I said, they took care of it. No one outside the family knew the real story, but if anyone ever wanted proof there was documentation."

Nilly listened to the phone, trying to grasp the words with the slight prickle of tears in her eyes.

"Why'd they even keep us though? Why'd they separate us and build this whole lie?" Nilly asked, clearing her throat. She heard Mildred sigh.

"They never meant to keep it from you girls for so long. You have to understand your parents were trying so hard for a little baby. But with the mixture of the cancer and chemo, it wasn't working for your mother. The same with your aunt and uncle. I-it just wasn't happening. And all your Aunt Miranda ever wanted was to be a mom. Then there you two were, bundled up and adorable. It all just fit into place, it'd be more believable to call you two cousins, but they didn't realize how similar you would be. Identical, but not quite. You with your curly locks and flecked eyes and Elena with her straight strands and clear blues, you two were perfect."

"How'd they choose who'd go with who?" Nilly asked. "Did they flip a coin or something?"

"No, no. That's not what happened at all." Mildred chuckled. "You chose your parents." There was a pause, a confused silence coming from Nilly.

"What?"

Mildred laughed again. "Your eyes never left Rocklynn. The moment you heard her voice your head turned in her direction. She saw those eyes blinking at her and from that moment on you never left her arms." Mildred said softly. Tears were inevitable as they dripped their way down Nilly's cheeks.

"What else do you know?" she asked quietly, wiping the wetness away with the back of her hand.

"Just a name, Isobel." Isobel, Nilly replayed it in her head.

"Anything else?" Nilly asked with a shaky breath.

"That's all I know, peaches." Mildred answered.

"Thank you for telling me, not that I know what to do with all this information, but thank you," she said, sliding off the bed and walking over to the window. The clouds had began to roll in.

"I had a feeling you weren't asking for you. How are you handling this?" Nilly was quiet for a moment, trying to figure out the right answer.

"I could honestly care less," she said slowly. "Like I told Elena, I don't want anything to do with any of this. I was just trying to piece together the story, so now I can sleep sound tonight… well sort of…"

Mildred's laughter came from the phone. "Well, I'm glad I can help. And Nilly, one more thing."

"Yeah?" Nilly said, staring outside.

"If you don't want to know anything about this, then don't. It may be safer if you just left this issue be for now." Mildred said in that old wise voice of hers.

Nilly sighed, she knew it was one of Mildred's witchy magical visions into the future. She also knew nothing she did would get Mildred to tell her. She wouldn't want to 'interfere with fate' as Mil would put it.

"Good day, Nilly," Mildred said softly. Nilin knew Mildred never said the word goodbye. _'Life's too short for goodbye's, that's why I don't say 'em._' Nilin could hear her rant if the word accidentally slipped passed Nilin's lips.

"Talk to you later, Mil," she reciprocated. Then Nilly hung up the phone, leaning her head against the window. The sky cracked open, thunder shaking the house slightly as the rain began to fall.

She loved thunder storms, ever since she was little. Nilly wished she could just enjoy this rainy summer day, but she still had things to do. Damon had informed her that Stefan said he would help with the tomb, which left Nilly suspicious. But she desperately needed to call the insurance company about her poor totaled Jeep, relay the information she had gotten from Mildred to Elena and then maybe after that she could visit the bookstore.

* * *

The lights flickered as the heavens above boomed. Rain pounded on the roof, drenching everything in its path. She looked over to Shellie who had her head down on the front counter, arms hiding her eyes. Magnolia let out a small chuckle.

"Don't laugh at me!" Shellie's muffled voice said, as she peeked a glaring eye at her. "You know how much I hate thunder!" Magnolia did her best to fight the smile on her face.

"All thunder is, is air and temperature, besides your making my hair stand stiff." she explained, walking over to the counter.

"Yeah, well sorry. You keep saying that scientific crud, but it doesn't help." Shellie complained resting her chin on her forearm. Magnolia just rolled her eyes, as she shook her head at her cousin.

"So how many customers are we getting today, Shells?" she asked, trying to shift the subject and lighten the mood. It worked because Shellie twitched her nose as her hazel eyes unfocused a bit, then she cocked her head up at Magnolia.

"Not many, the storm's going to wash out Route 3, but I have a feeling our favorite little mystery is going to drop by," she answered.

"Any particular reason?" Magnolia asked.

"Isn't there always?" Shellie shot back. Thank god she's in a better mood, any longer and Magnolia would have thrown her out in the rain. Not that it would have helped much, but it would have been funny. They both smiled at each other, then they herd the chime of the bell above the entrance.

Simultaneously they turned their heads to find a dripping Nilly smiling at them as she tousled her damp hair off her shoulder. She was wearing black yoga pants and her grey sweatshirt was darkened from the rain. Magnolia went to greet her when Shellie spoke up.

"Well look who finally showed up!" she chimed as she went and pecked Nilly on the cheek. Nilly's smile disappeared as confusion clouded her face. Magnolia shot a warning look at Shellie and let out a half-hearted laugh.

Nilly joined the laughter a little and said, "Hey guys." Shellie came over to Magnolia, elbowing her side lightly.

"Told you she'd show up," she said, trying her best at a whisper. It was clear Nilly had heard her though, she looked at the two girls questionably. Magnolia sent daggers Shellie's way, who finally caught on. "I mean, what weather we're having."

Magnolia put her head down, shaking it slightly. "Okay, what's going on with you too?" Nilly stepped closer, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Um…" Shellie stammered. "Nothing."

Magnolia sighed and gave Nilly a small smile. She motioned for them to go upstairs, giving Shellie a little push. In return Shellie just huffed at her. Nilly followed up the noisy staircase, cautiously.

Once upstairs, Magnolia placed herself on the couch. Squeezing in next to Lee-Roy, who happily adjusted to her as he wagged his tail. Shellie crossed her legs swiftly on the floor, smiling at Nilly. Nilly stood still for a second, eyeing the situation. Her glances shooting between Magnolia and Shellie.

Finally she relaxed and walked over to the other couch, plopping down comfortably. "Alright, I'm ready to tell you my story, if you're ready to tell me yours," she said with a sigh and pulled her legs up on the couch.

"Oh, we already know your story," Shellie cheerily blurted out. Magnolia snapped her head towards her.

"Michelle!" she hissed with clenched teeth. Shellie's eyes widened at the sound of her full name. Then she quickly turned back to Nilly whose eyes were just as wide, but with suspicion, not shock.

"And I mean that in the most non-stalkerish way."

Magnolia rubbed her eyes with her hands. She pulled her long hair into a bun, "Could you just hush for two seconds and let me explain?" she shot at Shellie, who put her head down. Magnolia felt a wave of sadness and hurt roll from Shellie's direction. "I didn't mean it like that, can you just tone it down a bit? All this is giving me a headache," she continued, the wave instantly receding.

Magnolia turned her attention back on Nilly, who looked more confused and suspicious than before. She wanted to be more subtle than this, but Shellie had been as blunt as a bat. She took a deep breath as she stroked Lee-Roy's fluffy head.

"You see Nilly, it's obvious that no one in this room is a normal small town girl." Magnolia started slowly. "And we have seen your story, some of it. Well Shellie has at least, I just get what she relays back."

Nilly cocked her head to the side, "Seen?" Magnolia turned to Shellie, motioning her to explain. Her head perked up.

"I have a gift, we both do actually. I can see things about people. Past, present and future. I saw us coming to this town five years ago and being handed down this store. So we moved here." Shellie explained.

"So anything you see you do?" Nilly asked, squinting her eyes slightly.

"Not exactly," Magnolia said, jumping in. "We're what you call Servitors. We're like witches, but instead of being branched from the Original witch and drawing our power from nature. We come from a time period known as 'Chaos Magic'. During this time period, normal humans and witches came together and found a way to bring special elements to the five senses."  
"Five senses?" Nilly asked, leaning forward a little.

"Sight, smell, touch, sound and taste." Magnolia explained. "The witches used their magic to infuse them with powers, powers that carried down the line. Our great-something grandmother participated in this. She had the gift of sound, one look and she could hear someone's every thought. And that's how it started. It went all the way down the line to Shellie and me. Our practice is very rare, we're lucky if we can count on one hand the other Servitors we know. Many have been hunted down because of the gifts they have."

Nilly nodded her head, seeming like she understood. "So what did you guys get?" she asked.

"Mine's sort of different," Magnolia said. "I got the gift of touch, but it's more on the emotional level."

Nilly's eyebrows pulled together. "You lost me."

"I can feel everything someone is feeling, their emotions. Every shift of them, each quiver," she explained. "I'm an empath."

"Oh! Oh, oh." Nilly said, eyes widening. "Oh. I am so sorry."  
"Yeah," Magnolia nodded. "You've made me want to vomit on several occasions." Nilly laughed a little, shaking her head. "My bad."

"No, it's a part of our powers. I've learned to handle it, so has Shellie." Magnolia pointed her chin to her cousin on the floor.

Shellie spoke up now, smiling. "Well, try to. Like I said, I can see things. Sometimes I can control it, like on the little things. Other times I get flashes, like a lightning strike in my mind of something. I saw you coming before you even set foot back in Mystic Falls."

"But me? Why me?" Nilly asked. Shellie shrugged.

"I don't know. Sine the first flash I got of you pulling up to the Mystic Grill I've been seeing a lot of you lately." Shellie explained, leaning back on her hands. Nilly had that confused eyebrow-bunched look on her face again, so Magnolia tired to explain further.

"During the 'Chaos Magic' era there was a purpose for the Servitors. We're a sort of guardian. Our job is to guide people down their path, protect them from what we can as fate plays out."

"My path?" Nilly asked, looking down.

"Yeah, apparently it's important because you've been clogging our senses." Shellie said. Magnolia rolled her eyes, which Nilly must have caught because she began to giggle. Then she began shaking her head.

"What?" Magnolia asked as she was hit with storm of emotions from Nilly.

"It's just, I found out my cousin is actually my sister, one of my closest friend is a witch, another friend is vampire, he has a vampire brother that I'm in l-," she stopped for a second. "in a deal with, we have a deal. And my other two friends are an empath and a seer." Nilly gasped out.

"Awe, you call us your friends?" Shellie blubbered on the floor.

Magnolia shot her another look. "Not the point."

"It's just comical." Nilly said. Magnolia and Shellie both looked at her, this time their faces confused.

"Comical?" Magnolia asked.

"Yeah, I mean, what are the odds? It's funny." Nilly explained.

"Well, if that's how you want to look at it, than okay." Magnolia smiled. She watched as Nilly leaned her head back on the sofa and closed her eyes. Magnolia got that nauseous feeling again from the sum of emotions coming from her.

Nilly let out a deep breath, opening her eyes. The emotions dwindled down to curiosity. _Impressive_, Magnolia thought. "So do you guys know where my path's leading?" she asked. They both shook their heads.

"I only see enough, just enough to give someone the push in the right direction. I never see the end product." Shellie explained.

"Yeah, it all works in a strange way. It's hard to grasp unless you were raised in it, like us." Magnolia said. "But, Nilly we'd be there for you even if we weren't Servitors or if we weren't meant to guide you."

A smile came to Nilly's tired face. "Thank you, you don't know how much that means to me."

"Oh, I do." Magnolia smiled.

"Right, empath." Nilly nodded. Nilly began to stand up, placing her feet on the floor. Lee-Roy jumped off the couch Magnolia was sitting on and went over to her, placing his big head on her lap.

"He's trying to tell you he's here for you too." Shellie said. Nilly laughed and smiled down at Lee-Roy. She stroked his head as he nuzzled her.

"Thanks, buddy." Nilly said softly, then she looked up at Magnolia. Her blue eyes were slightly blinding as they met Magnolia's yellowish ones. "So I guess you guys already know why I'm here?" she asked.

Shellie was already popping up, walking over to one of the back bookshelves. She came back with a big faded blue book and handed it to Nilly.

"This should help, it's all about spells and curses that procreate from Mystic Falls. I'm not sure what you're looking for is in here, but it might give you an idea as where to look," she explained.

Nilly flipped through the book, her long brown hair falling over her shoulder. She looked up, tucking her hair behind her ear. "This might work," she said smiling. "Thank you, guys."

"Oh you're welcome!" Shellie said, hugging Nilly. Nilly laughed as she patted Shellie's back.

"I have one question before I go." Nilly said quietly. She looked between Magnolia and Shellie. "Do you guys see anything coming? Anything I should be worried about?" Magnolia looked to Shellie, whose head was down. She looked up at Nilly, a smile tight on her face.

"Nope," she shook her head.

Nilly just smiled a little. "Well, thank you again, for everything. I'll see you around," she said walking down the stairs. Magnolia turned to Shellie whose head was down again.

"You saw something, didn't you?" she asked already knowing the answer by the sadness she was hit with.

Shellie nodded and Magnolia felt the overwhelming need to cry.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Last part! Here it is guys. A lot happened this chapter, the idea of Isobel is introduced but more importantly we find out why Magnolia and Shellie are not so normal small town girls. An empath and a seer, what do you guys think? ;D And what was is that Shellie saw? What dark cloud is looming on the horizon?  
You guys know the drill, Favorite, Follow & Review!

Thanks for reading! See you Wendesday!  
RLS

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	33. Chapter Twenty-One: The Journal- Part 1

**Chapter Twenty-One: The Journal- Part 1**

Nilly was sitting on her bed, John Gilbert's journal and the book from Shellie sat in front of her. She reached over to the nightstand and pulled another old looking journal out. The leather one Magnolia and Shellie had given Nilly ages ago, it was filled with the story of how the Founding Families battled the vampires in MysticFalls. She opened it up and laid it on top of the big blue book she had gotten today.

Nilin made a mental note of asking the cousins how they ended up with all these ancient, somewhat scandalizing, books.

As the rain continued to fall in a drizzle, she scanned through the books. It had been raining all day, now the night skies were pitch black outside Nilly's open window. The thunder rumbled off in the distance, Nilly loved the sound of it. Both windows on either side of her bed were wide open, letting in a cool breeze. The wind blew again, causing the Gilbert journal pages to shudder and turn over.

Nilly went to turn back to the page she was on when an entry caught her attention.

_"Through these trying times I am glad to have Giuseppe Salvatore at my side. As this darkness shadows over our beloved town it is up to my latest invention to pick out the undead among us. And I know for a fact that Giuseppe had placed all his trust in this. A man of many secrets, I know this one will be safe with him."_

Nilly scanned over the paragraph once more. Salvatore, she wondered the relation but further reading showed that Giuseppe had two sons. No coincidence,this was Damon and Stefan's father. She flipped through the journal, towards the end. After the church had been burned, and to when they had discovered the tomb. Her eyes flashed over another entry.

_"The witch had told us everything, though she knew she would burn for her crime. That tomb must never be open, we have sacrificed too much for those demons to walk again. It will remain closed for if it is unlocked, the town of Mystic Falls would be lost. The Fell family believed it should be I, not them, who protected the witch's spell book. But I feared she would haunt me from the here after. They mocked my fear, but it was Giuseppe who relinquished it. Only one person holds the answer to opening it now. I have entrusted this key to the hands of Giuseppe Salvatore, for I know that he will take it to his grave."_

Nilly stared at the last line of Jonathan Gilbert's handwriting. The gears in her head began to move. She flipped opened the brown leather book with the story of the Founders. She skimmed through it quickly, flipping the pages. Her fingers stopped on one page.

_"Though all Founding families played a great roll of the extermination of the vampires, three families led most of the decision; the Gilberts, the Salvatores and the Fells. Each played a major roll in the rescue of Mystic Falls and the driving force of peace in the town."_

Nilly continued to look through the book, gathering that John and Giuseppe had a major hand and influence in the 1800's. She also realized that both men were very good at keeping secrets, even from the Council. She leaned back a little, her eyes focusing on a spot on the wall. Her mind shot back and forth, making connections and trying to draw a final conclusion.

Her eyes widen when she settled on a theory. She scanned over the last line she read of John's journal. _"For I know that he will take it to his grave."_ A smile came across her face.

"What are you smirking at, princess?" said a velvet voice at her window. Nilly shot away from the voice, finding herself on the other side of her bed. She held a hand over her heart as she glared at Damon. He was in her window, one leg inside the other dangling out. He wore a satisfied grin on his face.

"Knock much?" she glowered.

"Oh right, where are my manners?" he laughed. "Can I come in?" he asked, already swinging his other leg over her window sill.

"And what if I said 'no'?" Nilly asked, still glaring at him as he walked over to her bed.

"I'd still come in," he smiled. Damon sat down on the bed, resting his head back on a pillow, one arm behind his head.

"Yes, Damon please come in my room in the middle of the evening and lay in my bed. No, I don't mind." Nilly grumbled sarcastically as she looked down at the books in front of her. Damon let out laugh as he turned on his side, propping himself up on his elbow.

"So, did they eat you alive yesterday?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Nilly smiled. "You mean the two saints downstairs? Of course not. They're on our side now, remember?"

"You trust them?" He asked, his fingers twirling a strand of Nilly's hair and giving her goose bumps.

She shrugged. "I'd trust Elena with my life, it just all seems kind of weird. But I can see their reason for wanting to help."

"And what do you think the reason is?"

Nilly smiled sadly at the book in front of her. "To keep you away from me, of course, and get you out of this town," she said. "But either way, it's more people to help." Nilly spoke quickly. Damon just 'Mmhm'ed. "Besides," Nilly continued. "They're more focused on something else now."

"Like what?" Damon asked, hand dropping from the tip of her hair.

"Well, instead of eating me alive last night," Nilly quoted. "They threw a whole other thing at me, because that's just what my life needs right now."

"What happened?" he asked.

She shook her head, still looking down at the books. "You'd never guess." Nilly said, then she turned her body to face him. "I found out that I'm adopted and, wait for it," she paused. "Elena's actually my twin sister, not my cousin. Which means, now try to wrap your head around this, we're both adopted."

Damon stared at her for a moment, than he started to laugh. "You're joking," he said. But Nilly just glanced at him, the look on her face enough to cut his laughter short. "You're not joking," he said slowly.

Nilly shook her head, "I wish I was."

"Well you look like you're taking it well, or are you?" he asked. Nilly thought for a moment then she laid down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling next to Damon. Her head propped up by a pillow, she placed her hands on her stomach and sighed.

"I think I'm just numb at this point," she confessed. Damon was quiet next to her, but Nilly continued to gaze up at the ceiling. "Stefan thinks we're descents of Katherine. That would explain the whole eerie resemblance you told me about, but we haven't figured out why we look exactly like her." Then Nilly thought for a moment. "You know what? I don't want to know anything about it. For once, I want to be completely ignorant about this," she admitted.

"And why's that?" Damon asked. She shrugged.

"I don't want it to change anything. If I go any farther with it, I just know I'm going to find something I never wanted to learn. But Elena wants to know and…" She turned her head towards him, her mind going blank when she met Damon's eyes. "I just don't want to," she mumbled.

"Then don't," he said. "You have more important things to deal with right now, and that's what you should focus on. Not your family's dirty laundry."

His words sparked something, something she had completely forgotten about thanks to him. She sat up quickly. "Speaking of family secrets, did you know your father had many?"

"My father?" Damon asked, sitting up as well. Nilly pulled out the brown leather book and handed it to him.

"This book is all about the Founder Council and how they planned to round up the vampire's back in 1864. I've read a bit of it and from what I got was that your father, Giuseppe Salvatore and John Gilbert played a very big roll." Nilly explained. Damon was looking down at the book flipping through it.

"So that got me thinking," she continued, pulling out the Gilbert Journal. "I start looking at Jonathan Gilbert's journal, one Jeremy found. It mentions your father and his talent for keeping secrets."

Damon snickered. "Yeah, the one thing he was good at."

"But wait there's more," Nilly smiled. She flipped to a page in the journal and held it out to Damon, tapping her finger _on the worn page._ "_I have entrusted this key to the hands of Giuseppe Salvatore, for I know that he will take it to his grave." _Nilly recited.

Damon took the journal, reading over the entry and the next. His hands froze and he looked up from the book. Midnight eyes shining, a grin came to his face.

"He always said he'd die with a full grave." Damon said, still smirking. A smile came to Nilly's face, her theory was right. Suddenly Damon cupped her face, holding it gently between his hands. "You're brilliant," he said. Nilly's smile grew as her heartbeat quickened. Then he was standing over by her window.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where do you think you're going?" she asked, sliding off the bed. "You don't think you're doing this without me." Nilly crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine," he said. "I need to check something out and then we'll go." With that he flung himself through the window. Nilly popped her head out, but he was already gone. She smiled at her accomplishment as she swapped her yoga pants for a pair of jean shorts and threw on a jacket over her pink tank top. She wrenched open her door and ran down the stairs.

* * *

"Elena! Elena!"

Elena got up from the couch, startled, as Nilly came hurling down the steps, yelling her name. "What?" she asked, eyes wide.

Nilly stopped in front of her, placing her arm on Elena's shoulder.

"I figured it out," she gasped.

"What?" Elena asked again, less frantic.

"I figured it out," she repeated. "I know where the grimoire is."

Suddenly Stefan was next to Elena. "How? Where?" he asked.

Nilly just grinned. "I was reading one of John Gilbert's journals and it mentioned a Giuseppe Salvatore."

"My father," Stefan said.

Nilly nodded. "When the founders discover the tomb, they traced it back to Emily Bennett. They found out about her spell book and how it held the key to opening it. They wanted to give the book to John Gilbert, but by then I'm guessing his mind had already began to slip. So he gave it to Giuseppe."

Elena stared at Nilly, her mind working quickly. "So Giuseppe was the last one to have the grimoire." Elena stated. "But how do we know where it is?"

Nilly smiled, she opened an old looking book she had been holding in her hand and flipped it over towards her and Stefan. "Read this," she said. Elena's eyes skimmed over the passage, but Stefan's was quicker. With a sharp inhale of breath, Stefan froze beside her. Elena looked at him, his eyes skimming over the journal entry again.

"I know where it is." Stefan announced quietly. He turned towards Elena, taking the book from Nilly. "My father, he was obsessed with removing the vampires from Mystic. He would have done anything to keep them in that tomb. So when the Founder's Council discovered Emily's spell book and gave it to him, he literally took it to his grave."  
Elena's eyes widen as she put her hand to her mouth. "Oh, Stefan…" she said softly.

He shook his head, taking her hand. "It's what we have to do," he said to her, raising his eyebrows as if to remind her of the deal they had made. They'd do anything to stop Damon from releasing those vampires in the tomb and unleashing Katherine on the town.

"So, I'm guessing you know where your father's buried then." Nilly spoke up. Stefan nodded at her.

"We should get going then, before the rain comes in again." Elena said, going for her car keys.

* * *

About a half an hour later, _Elena_, Nilly and Stefan were making their way through the woods. They weren't far from the older part cemetery as they followed Stefan in the Old Wood around it.

"Why isn't your father buried in your family's tomb?" Nilly called after Stefan. He slowed down realizing how far ahead he was from Nilly and Elena.

"It wasn't built until well after he died." Stefan explained as Elena neared him. Nilly scurried to catch up too, but being cautious of where she stepped, not wanting to take another trip to the hospital. They stopped again, this time at an old neglected piece of land. If you didn't look close enough you would have never seen the rubble of old graves under the thick ferns and moss.

They lit a torch, the fire sent light bouncing off the tree trunks and glistened on the still wet leaves. Stefan stopped and held out his hand. Elena gave him the shovel she had been carrying. He let out a sigh as Elena turned to Nilly. She was looking around the woods, squinting her eyes.

"Are you sure the grimoire's in there with him?" she asked Nilly, who snapped her attention back on Elena.

"As sure as I could be," she answered, walking closer to them.

"I think Nilly's right on this one." Stefan said as he began shoveling the dirt.

"Great." Elena huffed. She noticed Nilly looking around the woods again.

"Don't you think we should have told Damon?" Nilly asked, turning back to Stefan and her. "I mean he is the one whose been looking for it. He dragged me all the way to Georgia for this."

"What if it's not in here? Would you really want an angry, disappointed Damon around?" Elena said, giving her a half-hearted smile and dodging the question completely. Nilly just shrugged a sigh.

"I don't know it just doesn't feel right," she said, wrapping her arms around herself.  
"We're unearthing a dead man's grave in the middle of the night and you think not telling Damon we're here isn't right?" Elena smiled.

Nilly just glared at Elena as she leaned on a tree. "You know what I mean," she scoffed.

"Let's get this open and then we can actually decide what to do next." Stefan said, already a few inches into the ground. Elena saw Nilly's eyes scrunch together at Stefan's words, but then she walked up next to him and grabbed the other shovel they had brought.

"Nilin, I can do this on my own." Stefan said.

Nilly shrugged, pushing the shovel into the earth. "And I promised you and Damon both, that I would do whatever I can to help," she declared as she dumped the dirt on the pile Stefan had started.

"I know, and I appreciate that, but-"

"Stefan, I've seen that look before." Elena spoke up, gesturing to Nilly. "It's better for all of us if you just let her be when that look comes out." Nilly just looked up from her hole and gave a cheesy smile.

Stefan let out a sigh as he continued to dig. A little while later, Nilly wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She stepped out of the trench she and Stefan had been working on and handed the shovel to Elena.

"I'll be right back, I want to see if I can get service out here. Your turn," she winked walking into the tree line. Elena rolled her eyes at Nilly as she left and than turned back to Stefan with the shovel in her hands. She walked over and pick up where Nilly left off.  
"You don't need to do this." Stefan tried to urge. Elena just smiled at him.

"If Nilly didn't pick that other shovel up, I was about to," she informed him.

He smiled grimly at her. "Elena-"

She shook her head and looked at him. "This town is my home, Stefan. My friends and family are here. You're here," she said, her voice fading to a whisper, not sure as to Nilly's whereabouts. "I don't want that tomb open any more than you do."

He kissed her forehead quickly before they both went back to mounding the dirt. Nilly came back over a few minutes later.

"No luck," she said, sliding her phone back in her pocket. Elena looked up at her, thankful for the lack of service in the Old Wood.

"Awe, too bad," she said, lifting a shovelful of dirt out of the trench. Nilly squatted down between her and Stefan. Elena watched as Nilly laid a hand on Stefan's shoulder.  
"I'm sorry you have to do this." Nilly said, her voice soft and kind. It made Elena's heart throb. Stefan gave Nilly a tight smile and than nodded, continuing to dig.

Elena lost count of how many shovelfuls she lifted until they all heard the thud of metal on wood. Everyone stopped and Nilly came over to help Elena out of the grave. Stefan scraped the dirt off the top of the casket and then looked up at Elena. She gave him a slight nod while Nilly looked down in the grave, frowning slightly.

She disappeared for a second then came back to Elena's side holding a flashlight. She pointed it down at Stefan as he got on his knees and began to wipe the dirt away. He ran his hand over the dirt until he caught something, the edge of the coffin.

"Is that it?" Elena asked as Nilly knelt closer with the flashlight both peering down at Stefan. He pulled it up, revealing an old, boned skeleton. Its arms encasing what appeared to be a cover of a book. Stefan pulled it out of the skeleton's grasp and handed the thick red book to Elena. He closed the coffin and Nilly helped him out of the freshly dug grave.

The three of them were silent as Elena handed the grimoire back to Stefan. He opened it slowly, tearing at the cover which had been sealed and eroded, closed by time. He laid the pages flat as Elena took the flashlight from Nilly. She held it at a better angle for him as he started to read, her and Nilly on either side of him.

"Well, what do you know?" Came a voice from behind them. Simultaneously the three of them spun around quickly to face the voice.

There stood a seething Damon Salvatore

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

Ahh, cliffhanger. Well, not much of one for you guys who watch the show. How'd I do? Let me know, okay? Favorite, Follow & Review! :)  
See you guys on Friday!

RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url,

Elena, Stefan, Nillin & Damon:  
/chapter_twenty-one_elena_stefan_nilin/set?id=93846241


	34. Chapter Twenty-One: The Journal- Part 2

**Chapter Twenty-One: The Journal- Part 2**

Damon was a yard or two away from the three of them. Dressed in all black, like normal, he blended well into the dark forest. His jaw was clenched as his eyes dug into them, flashing on each one of their faces; Elena's, Stefan's and then finally Nilly's. Elena noticed Damon's rigidness and clasped fist as he stepped forward.

"This is an interesting turn of events." His voice was cold and venomous.

Stefan stepped forward too, as if to put distance between Damon and the girls. "I can't let you bring her back. I'm sorry." Stefan said. Elena saw Nilly's wide eyes flash to Stefan and then to Damon. They finally rested on Elena, shock and disbelief in her eyes. They were more passive emotions than the ones showing on Damon's face at the moment.

"So am I." Damon said back through tight lips. "For thinking for even one second I could trust you." His voice getting louder and angrier the closer he got.

"You're not capable of trust. The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and that you were planning on doing this yourself." Stefan shot back, his voice still calm. Elena inched closer to Nilly, but froze when Damon laughed.

"Your facts are wrong, brother. I didn't read the journal. It's seems we got our information from the same person." Elena's eyes glanced at Nilly, along with Stefan's. "And of course I was going to do this by myself," Damon continued. "Because the only one I can count on is me!" he yelled. Elena was still watching Nilly, whose head shot up and looked at Damon, her mouth opening slightly as to say something. "You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan. But you…" Damon said his voice softening to an astonished disbelief as his eyes went through Stefan and Elena to Nilly. "You had me fooled."

Nilly stepped forward, but Elena caught her arm holding her back from him."But-" she went to say except Damon had already torn his eyes from her.

"So what are you going to do now?" Damon asked, taking another step closer. "Because if you try and destroy that, I'll rip her heart out." He said, jerking his chin in Nilin's direction. Nilly cringed back into Elena, squeezing her arm slightly.

Stefan stepped to the side, putting himself in front of her and Nilly. "You won't kill her," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Damon smirked, "I can do one better." Suddenly Elena's arms were empty, and Damon was standing behind them now. Stefan and Elena whipped around, Stefan grabbing Elena and pulling her away, but she was frozen. Damon had Nilly, one arm around her upper chest and grasping her shoulder. Nilly's hands gripped Damon's arm as he held her to him. Panic shot threw her watering eyes as she clawed at his leather jacket in her failed attempt to get out of Damon's grasped.

Elena's arm was outstretched, but Stefan stood in front of her as she held onto his arm tight with her other hand. Both were frozen in shock as Damon lifted his wrist to his mouth and made a tearing motion. He held his arm up, Elena saw the blood began to drip down his wrist. Nilly was still struggling to get free, her eyes shocked open and fixed on his wrist. Then in one motion he put his wrist to Nilly's mouth as she gasped.

Elena heard Nilly's chokes and whimpers as Damon forced the blood down her throat. She knew as well as Nilly knew what vampire blood could do.

Damon pulled his wrist away from Nilly as she gasped and gagged. She fought harder to escape, thrashing her head around. But he still held her, locked against him. Elena saw the remnants of blood around Nilly's mouth, making her stomach turn**.**

Damon gave a dark grin. "Give me the book, Stefan or I'm snapping her neck. And then you and I will have another Katherine on our hands." Nilly made a gasping sound as Damon pulled her back.

Stefan held out his arm. "Let her go first," he said softly but panic was dripping into his voice.

"The book!" Damon yelled, grasping Nilly tighter to him. Tears were escaping her eyes, mixing with the blood on her chin.

"I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me." Stefan said, holding his other hand with the book behind him trying to keep Elena back.

"Problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back!" Damon yelled, getting more irritated. Then Elena made her move. She grabbed the grimoire from Stefan's hand and stepped around him quickly.

"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will." Elena said in a strained voice, holding the book out and tossing it in front of her.

Damon stared at Elena for a moment, then at the book lying on the ground. Then he looked down at the cowering girl in his arms. Elena watched Damon press his face to the top of Nilly's head, holding her for a moment. He seemed to say something, mumbled against her hair, but Elena's ears didn't pick it up. He closed his eyes for a moment, his grasp relaxed on Nilly's shoulder and he pulled his arm away. Nilly was shaking as she slowly took a step away from him. Damon's hand smoothed the back of Nilly's hair, guiding her forward. His hand extended as if to make sure she could walk or didn't fall.

She took another shaken step towards Elena and than leaped over the grave into Elena arms. She wrapped her arms around her and Nilly buried her face in Elena's hair and shoulder letting out a sob. Stefan wrapped his arms around both the girls and started to back them away from Damon**.**

Nilly was shuddering in Elena's arms, making a heartbreaking sound. Tears began to escape her eyes, dampening the top of Nilly's head. Elena's eyes glared in hatred at Damon as his stare wandered from the grimoire to Nilly.

Elena held Nilly closer as they began to turn away, Stefan leading them back into the Old Wood. She felt Nilly shift her head up and Elena knew Nilly was staring at Damon and visa versa. She kept Nilly in her grasp the entire time as Stefan rushed them to the car.

* * *

Nilly stumbled up the stairs, tears stinging her eyes. She slammed the bedroom door behind her and ran to the bathroom. Collapsing on the ground, she flung the toilet lid open and puked. Wrenching everything in her stomach up, until she was painfully heaving. Sobs escaped her mouth, as she wiped it with a hand towel from the sink. Her stomach still turned and a pounding in her head made her ears ring.

She pressed her cheek on the cold tile floor, tears pooling on them. Her breath shuddered in her chest. Someone was knocking on the bathroom door, Nilly stayed in her place on the floor as her vision blurred in and out of focus. The door knob turned and the presence of Elena and Stefan filled the room. Elena came over lifting Nilly's head up and resting it on her shoulder while Stefan held Nilly's face. He stared at her for a moment, turning her head to see her eyes and then said something to Elena.

Nilly couldn't make the whole sentence out, she got "Okay," and "Shocked", but that was it. Were they shocked she was okay or was she okay just shocked? Either way Nilly knew nothing was okay. Nilly was in the air now, her arms going around Stefan's neck as he carried her to her bed. She felt the softness of the comforter as he laid her down. Elena's turn, she came over pulling Nilly's shoes and socks off. Somehow she managed to get the muddy jacket off of her as well, tucking Nilly under the covers.

Oh, here comes Stefan again. He did that weird thing where he held her face as he looked at her eyes once more. His lips were moving, but Nilly couldn't comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. It felt like she had cotton balls in her ears. Was he saying her name? His fiery green eyes were staring right at her. He was saying her name, over and over. He was saying something else. I'm okay? Why is he telling me I'm okay? This can't be what okay feels like.

She blinked a couple times, her mind creeping out of the corners of itself as the shock on her body wore off. Stefan and Elena were standing over by the bathroom door talking and throwing worried glances at her.

"It's too quiet in here," she said softly. Her voice sounding nothing like normal, it was rough and horsed. Both Stefan and Elena came over to her.

"What was that, Nil?" Elena asked, stroking the hair out of Nilly's face.

"It's too quiet in here," she repeated. "Could you turn my stereo on?" Elena nodded, tears coming to her eyes. Why was Elena crying? She didn't have a reason too. The only one who did was Nilly, but the tears were far too tired to come out anymore. Nilly wished she could be like her tears and retreat back into herself to hide, but she wasn't.

How did this all happen? How did this all turn on her? "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked Elena, who was kneeling by her bed and trying to figure out how to work her stereo. She turned towards Nilin slowly.

"Tell you what?" she asked quietly as music finally began to play.

"You were never going to help him," Nilin's horsed voice managed to say. "You two screwed up, and I had to pay for it," she indicted, but her voice never rose above a whisper.

"Nilin—" Stefan went to say.

"Get out," she told him quietly. Then she looked at Elena. "Both of you, get out."

Elena was lost for words, she let Stefan come over and lead her out of the room. Nilin heard the door close behind them. She reached a shaking hand out and turn the volume up. Process, Accept, Move on, right?

She was Nilin Gilbert, daughter of Rocklynn and Jack Gilbert. She was laying in the guest bedroom of her dead aunt and uncle's house. Her sister, not her cousin, was here with her and her vampire boyfriend too. He had a vampire brother whose eye's Nilly had found herself lost in, but he had his heart on another girl. Nilly had trusted him, but he had forced blood down her throat and held her as a ransom for that other girl.

The one she looked just like. She was in Mystic Falls, away from Christian. Her closet friend was a witch, her other friends were a seer and an empath. She was human. Jenna was down the hall, Jeremy's door was across from hers and so was Elena's.

She tried to move on… but, she couldn't.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Hey guys! So sorry about this incredibly late update. I've been running around like a mad woman lately and finally just got time to sit down and post this. Thank you all for waiting, again, sorry! Thanks to all the new Followers and Favorites, you readers are amazing. Tell me how I'm doing and how you guys are liking the story by reviewing! I will see you all tomorrow with another update!  
Favorite, Follow & Review.  
RLS


	35. Chapter Twenty-Two: The Leverage- Part 1

**Chapter Twenty-Two: The Leverage- Part 1 **

She didn't remember closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. She must have because suddenly she was waking up, rocketing forward, a scream behind her lips as a nightmare faded around her. The scream that had built up came out as a gasp instead.  
Nilly froze, unsure as to where she was. Then she realized she was in the guestroom bed, her navy comforter around her. She still had a terrible headache, but everything else seemed to be normal. What the hell happened last night?  
The rug was ripped out from under her, that's what happened. And then people wonder why Nilin has trust issues. Being screwed over all the time was beginning to grow old.  
Lying back down, Nilly snuggled under the covers. She didn't know what time it was, but it must have been early. The morning light crept slowly into the room, giving everything an orange glow. The storm had past, leaving the sky cloudless and crisp. Nilly sighed and watched the sun advance in the sky outside the window.  
Her mind was still racing, but it was more of a blur now. Everything was tangled together, except one thing, Damon's voice. The two words he uttered just before he let her go.  
The back of her head still tingled where he had run his fingers through it. _Forgive me… _He had mumbled against her hair. It played over in her mind on repeat, like a song that gets stuck in your head.  
The room grew brighter causing Nilly to stick her head under the covers. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs. It became hot and stuffy under the sheets, but she didn't care. Closing her eyes, she stayed that way for a while. Hidden from the world, she stayed under her covers until she heard a faint thump on her door. She didn't answer at first, but the thump continued.  
Nilly peeked her head out, inhaling a cool fresh breath of air. "Come in," she said quietly, placing her head back on the pillow. She heard the door open, but kept her eyes on the window, then someone stood in front of her. She looked at the man blocking the window.  
"Tyler?" she asked softly, pulling herself up.  
"Hey," he said just as soft as he sat down next to her. Nilly starred up at him with questioning eyes, he smiled at her. "Elena called," he explained. "She says you were having a rough time. So I thought I'd come by to check up on you."  
Nilly gave him a sad smile and then hugged him. Tyler wasn't usually the hugging type, so when he gave one you knew he meant business. His arms went around her, squeezing her close as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Thanks Ty," she said.  
He pulled away to look at her. "So, there is some great evil that has bed ridden the invincible Nilin Gilbert, eh?" he urged.  
"Every hero has their kryptonite, right?" Nilin said, biting the inside of her cheek.  
"Yeah, but they always manage to defeat it." Tyler smiled, showing the little kid that was still in his heart. He managed to get her to smile a little.  
"Your nerd it showing," Nilin said, referencing the days they used to spend reading comic books when they were eleven.  
"That's okay, it's only your geeky ass." Tyler nudged her. Nilin laughed as she rolled her eyes. "But if you try to tell anyone, I will deny, deny, deny," he warned.  
"Whatever you say, Ty," Nilin said, lying back on her pillows.

"So," he asked her hesitantly. "Want to tell me what happened?" Nilin stayed quiet as her fingers played with the end of her blanket. "Nilin? What's going on?" he tried. She chewed on her bottom lip to keep the tears back as she kept eyes down.  
"There's just so much someone can take." Nilly whispered and that was enough to get her crying. Tyler comforted her, him just sitting there was enough.  
He was one of the few people who Nilin didn't mid crying in front of. It had always been like that. She was comfortable enough around Tyler to show him the weaker side of Nilin Gilbert; the one that not many have witnessed. He also knew how to handle her the best way when she was crying. Just sit there, shut up, and let her dry out.  
Which he did.  
After a while though, he started to talk to her about meaningless things. Football, school, the girl down at the ice cream shop with the cute laugh and the nice boobs, all that mindless stuff until her tears stopped. It worked, Nilly's eyes dried out.  
Then Tyler gave her that look that was meant to get her to start talking. And she did, about some things. Of course she shied away from anything that had to do with the supernatural, which was mostly at the core of all her problems.  
But she did tell him about the adoption and made him swear not to say a thing to anyone, not to a single soul. He swore, of course. She told him about Christian, well sort of. She just mentioned that it was an unhealthy relationship and he was the reason she came back to Mystic Falls.  
Nilly left out the part about him being a psycho vampire out to kill her. Tyler was the kind of guy who would laugh at the mention of supernatural creatures and then he'd send her away to an asylum. Maybe she wouldn't mind being locked up in a looney bin that much.  
Nilly didn't realize how late it was getting until Tyler had to leave for summer football practice. He hugged her goodbye and then she was alone again. She contemplated going back to bed, but she was getting restless. So instead she slowly got out of bed, pulling her hair into a ponytail and shrugging on a pair of shorts.  
Opening her bedroom door, Nilly stepped into the hall and realized how eerily quite the house was. Jeremy's room was dark and no sound came from down the hall. Nilly sauntered to Elena's room and tapped on the door. No answer. She knocked once more. Still no answer. She opened it, looking around the empty room. How strange, were would Elena have gone?  
Nilly made her way downstairs, the rooms were dark and silent. She stopped in the family room, wrapping her arms around herself. Then she heard the front door open and close quickly. Someone was breathing heavily. Nilly looked out into the hallway to find Jenna, lips locked with a man, who she was guessing was the social studies teacher.  
Nilly froze, a hand going to her mouth to hide her gasp. She meant to turn back into the family room quickly, but she was too slow and Jenna's eyes locked with hers.  
Jenna detached herself from the teacher with an awkward cough. She casted her eyes down as her date turned around with a confused look on his face to find Nilly leaning on the wall, arms crossed and a smile plastered on her face.  
"Um, I thought the house was empty." Jenna coughed, hands going into her back pockets.  
"So, did I," was all Nilin answered. She walked over to the couple, eyeing Jenna the whole time.  
"Uh, Alaric Saltzman." The teacher said, extending his hand towards her. "You must be Elena."  
Nilly smiled shaking his hand. "No, I'm the other niece," she laughed.  
"Nilin, right," he said, stepping back awkwardly. "Nice to meet you."  
"You too." Nilly said, staring at Alaric. He wasn't half bad looking. He had dark sandy hair and a five o'clock stubble. His light pale eyes matched his genuine smile. She looked him over once more, and then she turned to her aunt.  
"Have you seen my other half around?" she asked.  
Jenna looked up from her shoes, cheeks still flushed. "Not since this morning," she said shaking her head. "I thought Elena would be home all day, that's what she said at least. Jeremy was here with his friend Anna, but I guess they left too."  
"Oh, okay then." Nilly frowned. Something was wrong, Nilly could feel it in her gut. "I'm going to go out. Can I use your car, since it looks like you're in for the night?" Nilly asked.  
Jenna narrowed her eyes, but handed Nilly the keys. "Sure, here."  
"You two behave yourselves. Nice meeting you Alaric." Nilly grinned, leaving the house. Then she rushed to Jenna's car, quickly driving down the road.

* * *

As Nilin pulled into the long driveway, she couldn't help the quickening of her heartbeat. The boarding house alone caused it. Nilly put the car in park and opened the door. Digging her finger nails into the palms of her hands, she walked up to the wooden doors and rang the bell.  
The door opened, revealing the younger of the Salvatore brothers. Nilly let out a thankful sigh of relief as Stefan's eyebrows pulled together.  
"Hi," he said surprised. "I didn't expect you to be up today, let alone here."  
"Yeah, well. Obviously I just love getting screwed over. I keep coming back for more, huh Stefan?" Nilin said, bitterly. She saw him shift uncomfortably. "It's been a little rough today, but I think something's up." Nilly explained, her voice becoming softer. "Is Elena here?"  
Stefan's eyes seemed to spark at the mention of Elena's name. He shook his head as his arms crossed his chest. "No," he said. "I haven't seen her since last night."  
Nilly's heart dropped. Yes, she was mad at Elena and Stefan, but if Elena was in danger... "Something's wrong, Stefan. I can feel it. Jenna said the last time she'd seen Elena was this morning and she had no plans of leaving the house," she told him as he reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He held it to his ear. Stefan's eyes closed and he let out a low breath as he clicked the end button.  
"Voicemail," he mumbled.  
"Same thing I've been getting," Nilly looked around. "Can I come in?" she asked, quietly.  
"He's upstairs." Stefan answered, understanding Nilly's question. Her lips tightened in a straight line and her eyes went cold.  
"It's Elena, though." Nilly said and with that Stefan stepped aside, holding the door for her. They went into the main living room.  
Nilly turned to Stefan. "Do you know an Anna?" she asked. He looked at her, shaking his head. "She's Jeremy's friend, I've never met her, which I thought was weird, but apparently she and Jeremy were at the house before."  
"What else do you know about her?" Stefan asked, crossing his arms.  
"Um, she's home schooled, her last name's Johnson and she lives with her mother, Pearl." Nilly told him, remembering the things she'd squeezed out of Jeremy. Stefan had frozen, his eyes off in the distance. Then he was back to the present, staring at Nilly.  
"Back in 1864, there was a woman named Pearl. She was Katherine's friend, she was a vampire." Stefan explained.  
"What happened to her?" Nilly asked, rocking back on her foot.  
"She was put in the tomb, Pearl's one of the 26 vampire trapped in there," he replied. "She also had a vampire daughter, named Anna…"  
Nilly's eyes widen, her mouth opening a little. "I don't think this is a coincidence. If this is the same Anna then she even has reason to take Elena."  
"What do you mean?"  
"She wants her mother out of the tomb, we have- had the key." Nilly explained. The look on Stefan's face alone confirmed what she had said.  
"Oh no," was all he got out.

* * *

Elena's eyes opened, she was stiff and her breath came out slow. This wasn't her bed, this wasn't her room. She turned her head, stifling a gasp. It looked like she was in a motel room. Two queen beds, made up with a tacky green and red comforter, two night stands, a small closet with a door next to it and a large window with the curtains sealed shut.  
That's not what made Elena's heart quicken though, it was the man sleeping in the chair next to the bed. She recognized him, he worked at the Grill and his name was Ben. His head hung to the side, dark cropped hair sticking out.  
Elena needed to leave, she had to get out of here. Slowly she sat up, placing her feet on the floor. Standing up she kept her eyes on him the entire time. He snored in his sleep as Elena edged around him. She took her steps carefully, making sure she was completely silent. Her heart was raging in her chest as she tried to take low shallow breaths.

Only a few more steps to the door. Her hand reached for the door, her fingers turning the lock. Elena froze when the lock clicked, she glanced behind her but Ben was still asleep. Then she went to undo the chain, a hand grabbed her wrist tightly and spun her around. Her back slammed into the door as her eyes met the dark veiny eyes of a vampire.  
"I wouldn't." Ben warned. Elena let out a gasp. Then his pupil dilated as he starred at her.  
"Don't try to escape. Don't even more. Do you understand?" he commanded in a low detached voice.  
Elena paused but then answered in the same tone, "I understand."  
Ben smirked and then turned his back to her. Elena slowed her breathing, then in one swift movement she unlatched the chain and pulled the door open. She could have made it out, if it wasn't for the girl she ran into. Her hand grabbed Elena's arm squeezing it painfully.  
"Seriously?!" The girl yelled, yanking Elena back into the room. That's when she noticed the girl grasping her arm. It was Jeremy's friend, or more than friend, more than human, Anna.  
"I told her not to move!" Ben yelled back. "I did that eye thing that you taught me!"  
Anna pushed Elena forward, making her stumble. "And forgot the lesson about vervain! She dates a vampire, Ben! You can't compel her, duh!"  
"What do you want?" Elena asked, trying to pull out of her grip. Ana's eyes narrowed.  
"Does it matter?" she barked and then she shoved Elena into the bathroom. She stumbled forward as the door slammed shut.  
She let out a shattered breath as she tried to open the door. No luck, she was trapped in here.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I am back on track, well sort of. Here is Chapter Twenty-Two guys! Hope you like it! Thank you all for reading, it means so much to me :) Review and tell me what you think, okay? That would be awesome.  
See you on Wednesday!

Favorite, Follow & Review  
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	36. Chapter Twenty-Two: The Leverage- Part 2

**Chapter Twenty-Two: The Leverage- Part 2**

"A bookstore?" Stefan asked as he and Nilly got out of the car.

"Trust me," she said as Stefan held open the door for her. They stepped inside Reader & Seethe's and walked over to the front counter. There was a man paying for a book, picking his pocket for the exact change. On the other side of the counter sat a very annoyed looking Shellie, her slim fingers tapping on the cover of the book.

"And seventy-five cents," the man said, laying a nickel on the counter. A fake smile came across Shellie's face as she took it from him.

"Why thank you! Have a great day," she said handing the man his book.

"And you too," he replied then he turned and passed Nilly and Stefan. Shellie rolled her eyes as she swung around the counter and came over to them, her summer maxi-dress flowing around her.

"Hello beautiful," she sang,hugging Nilly. When Shellie took in Nilin's expression she stepped back quickly, smile dropping. "Oh, what happened?" she asked.

Nilly bit her lip and then motioned behind her. "Shellie this is Stefan," she introduced them. Stefan, like the gentleman he was, shook her hand bowing his head slightly. Nilly noticed the blush swell to Shellie's cheeks.

"Hi there," she smiled, twirling a piece of hair.

"He's Elena's boyfriend." Nilly continued. The piece of hair stopped twirling.

"Oh, well what do you guys need?" Shellie asked, still a smile on her face.

"Can we go upstairs?" Nilly jerked her chin to the back of the store. Shellie nodded and started for the stairs. Nilly turned around and motioned for Stefan to follow. "Trust me," she told him again. He nodded and trailed behind Nilly as they went up to the second floor.

Once up there Shellie was talking to Magnolia, who was sporting her usual flannel and denim look. She came over and introduced herself to Stefan, then she turned to Nilly. "What happened?" she asked.

"Elena's missing," she answered. "We think a vampire took her, but we don't know where." Nilly said, then she looked behind her to Stefan. His usual brooding eyebrows were pulled together as he stared at the three girls.

Magnolia smiled. "We're not ignorant when it comes to the supernatural things. We know much more than we let on," she laughed.

"We have gifts." Shellie said, lifting her eyebrows.

Nilly couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Stefan's face. "Let's find Elena and then I'll explain everything later," she said, placing her hand on his arm. She looked at Shellie. "Can you help us?

Shellie sat on the floor quickly, crossing her legs. "I can try. Give me a second," she said, her eyes unfocused and pupils dilated. The room went silent, tension stretching across it as they waited. Nilly squeezed her hands into fist, nerves wracking her body. Then Shellie started to speak, her voice was low and strained.

"I see a room, it looks like a motel room. It has that cheap service look to it…" her voice faded. "And Elena, I see her too. God she really does look exactly like you," she continued.

"Focus, Shellie." Magnolia urged. There was silence again as Stefan shifted on his feet. Nilly looked up at him, worry and fear tainting his face. She knew he was trying to keep a clam, expressionless appearance but he was failing at it miserably.

"It's the motel right outside of town, I'm sure of it. That really sketchy one. A girl just opened a door. She has black wavy hair." Shellie said.

Nilly looked back up to Stefan. "Anna?" she asked. He nodded his head once, shifting to the other foot again.

"I can see the room number. B6, I think. She closed the door again." Shellie's swirling eyes focused again. Her pupils returned to normal as she blinked up at them. "Elena's in that motel. I'm sure of it, but that girl and another guy is in there with her. I don't think they're good people."

Nilly and Magnolia helped Shellie off the floor. "Thank you so much." Nilly said, squeezing Shellie's hand.

"No problem," she replied smiling.

"Really Shellie, I owe you for this." Stefan said, coming up next to Nilly.

"God, you really care about Elena, don't you." Magnolia said, her eyes widening. Stefan looked to her, he went to say something but his voice was covered by a loud growl.

They all turned around to see Lee-Roy coming from behind the one sofa. His teeth bared and his fur sticking straight up. Even scarier than that, was the fact that he was staring straight at Stefan. Nilly's eyes widen as the massive dog came closer. Magnolia stood in front of him.

"Friend, Lee-Roy. Friend," she said, hands out. The dog let out a low whine, and went to Magnolia ducking his head for her to pet it. He kept his eyes on Stefan though.

"We should get going." Nilly urged. "You know where the motel she saw is, right?" Stefan nodded, his face still hard with worry.

They rushed down the stairs, Nilly throwing another thank you over her shoulder as they left the store.

Stefan stopped when they got to her car. "I want you to go back to the boarding house, Nilly," he said.

Her eyebrows pulled together. "What? You're joking right?"  
"Nilin," he pushed.  
"No, no way Stefan. I'm going with you," she said.

He shook his head. "Please, just go back. I need someone there when I get Elena. Please, I can't put you in danger anymore than I have," he urged.

"You weren't worried about putting me in danger last night." Nilin shot at him, her eyes narrowed. "What makes this different?"  
"Nilin, you don't realize how sorry I am. I never expected my brother to do something like that, especially to you," he apologized.  
Nilin snorted a laugh. "He's Damon, what do you mean you never expected? He's unpredictable, and we both know he's willing to do anything for Katherine. So cut the crap." Nilly told him.  
"I'm trying to make it up to you, but to do that I have to keep you safe and alive. Now we can stand here and bicker about this or you can go back to the boarding house and wait for me and Elena." He stopped her, putting both hands on her shoulders. His green eyes were burning. "I understand how much she means to you. You don't realize how much I understand, but you did your part so let me do mine. I'll get her back Nilly, I promise. Elena would never forgive me if I let something happened to you," he said.

Nilly looked down, the emotion in his eyes too much.

"Of course she would, she loves you." Nilly mumbled. She looked back up. "Fine, I'll go back." Nilin said, defeated. "Bring her home please."

Stefan nodded, "I will."

Nilly got in the car and made the painful ride back to the boarding house, while Stefan went the other way to the outer part of town.

* * *

Elena was still trapped in the bathroom. She sat arms around her legs in the corner, looking around the room. There was no window, so her only exit was the door. She looked for anything that can be used as a weapon, preferably wood. But the bathroom was barren. Resting her chin on her knees she contemplated how fast she could charge the door. Just as she concluded not very fast the bathroom door swung open.

"She wants to talk to you." Ben said, coming in and pulling Elena off the floor. He prodded her out of the bathroom, pushing her to sit on the bed. Elena looked around, swallowing hard before meeting Anna's eyes.

"Well well, Elena Gilbert." Anna said. "You really are Katherine's double,"she laughed, shaking her head. "You must have the Salvatore brothers reeling." Elena glared at her. She wondered if Anna knew about Nilly, she prayed she didn't. "Oh don't be so cold," she continued. "I mean, me and your brother are practically dating."

"What do you want?" Elena asked, voice deadly.

"Your cooperation, mostly. This doesn't need to get messy, but I won't mind if it does." Anna grinned, walking in front of Elena. "Now, Damon said the tomb could be opened, correct? With Emily's spell book. All I need from you, Elena, is two things; the book and your little witch friend Bonnie."

Elena's eyes widened, not Bonnie. Elena had been informing Bonnie about the whole situation, do to the fact that it was her ancestor's actions that started this and also because she was just as set as Elena was to keeping this town safe. Bonnie knew everything that was going on, but Elena didn't want her any more involved.

"Why do you need her?" Elena asked.

"Because, we need a witch to break the spell and let the vampires out."

"Bonnie's not going to open that tomb." Elena declared.

"Oh, I think she will," Ana smirked.

Elena was getting angry. "Do you really want Katherine out that bad?" she asked.

Anna started to laugh coldly as she looked at Elena and rolled her dark eyes.

"Trust me, no one I know wants to see that girl again. Except Damon, the lovestruck idiot," she laughed.

"Then what is it?" Elena paused. "Or who is it?"

Anna went still, her eyes locking on Elena's. "My mother's in there. Katherine couldn't help herself. She just had to toy around with both of the Salvatore brothers. Then when she got caught, so did my mother. I watched Jonathan Gilbert take her away."

Elena looked at Anna, her eyes softening a little. She knew she shouldn't feel any empathy towards this girl, but Elena could relate. She'd do anything to get her mother back too. "I'm sorry." Elena said softly.

Anna was silent for a moment, then she shook her head slightly. "You really mean that, don't you?" she scoffed. "Yeah, I think we'll skip the 'dead mother' bonding so you can serve a better purpose." Anna smiled.

"Which is what?" Elena asked, her voice cold.

"Leverage." Anna raised her sharp eyebrow. "This belong to you?" she asked, holding up Elena's cell phone. Elena went to snatch it out of her hand, just to have Ben pull her back on the bed.

"Ah-ah!" Anna teased, then she held the phone to her ear. Elena's heart sank.

"Hello, Stefan. Long time no talk." Anna grinned as she walked back and forth in front of Elena.

"She's fine. For now. Tell me you have the grimoire and she'll stay fine." Elena watched, stomach turning. Desperately wanting Stefan, right then she just clung to the thought of him.

"You can get it, eh?" Anna said into the phone. "Which means your brother has it. And I have Elena, and my eye on the witch. So, one of you better meet me in the very public Common in 30 minutes so we can safely discuss how fun it's going to be to work together." She hung Elena's phone up and tossed it to Ben.

"I'm going out," she said to him. "And keep her buttoned down. Compulsion won't work. Just use violence."

"Right, I got that," he said to her as she left the room. Then he looked at Elena. "Sit, behave."

* * *

From what she could tell, the boarding house was empty. The front door was unlocked, which wasn't surprising. Why would two vampires lock their doors and windows at night?

Nilin went in to the house, closing the heavy wooden door with a sigh. This was probably the last place she wanted to be at the moment. It didn't help that she still had vivid memories attached to the boarding house. Her stomach began to feel uneasy.

Nilin didn't know what to do, she wasn't very good at keeping herself busy. Usually she listened to music or wrote to get her mind off things, but as she sat on the bottom step of the large stairwell she realized she couldn't really do either.

She resorted to biting her finger nails down to stubs. When all ten were ragged and sore she shot up from the stairs.

The house was too quiet and still. She paced a rut in the hallway before giving up and walking further down, into the white room. The window was closed now, which made the room and the chandelier darker looking. The piano lid was still propped open and inviting.

Nilly walked towards it slowly, sitting on the bench. She inhaled a deep breath as the pads of her fingers brushed against the white and black keys. The sound vibrating Nilly's rib cage and bouncing through the rooms.

The best feature of this house was this piano. Slowly, Nilin could feel her self sink into the music. The sharp, painful emotions she had been feeling all day got pushed into the background.

She picked up speed, her foot tapping the beat under the piano. Words formed in her head, and the music twisted into a newer, slower song.

_"You would say anything, trying anything_

_To escape your meaningless, your insignificance_

_Your uncontrollable, we are unlovable_

_But I don't want you to think that I care_

_I never would, I never could_

_Again…"_

The words got stuck in her throat as she felt eyes on her from somewhere. She didn't look up from the piano but Nilly knew she was being watched. Then she felt it. Something pulled in her chest, and she knew who was watching her.

She had been wrong about the boarding house being empty.

Her eyes never lifted as she continued to sing.

"_Why can't you just love her?_

_Why be such a monster?_

_You bully from a distance_

_Your brain needs some assistance_

_But I'll still take all the blame_

_Because you and me are one in the same_

_And it's driving me mad_

_It's driving me mad."_

Nilly faded her voice out, the piano growing softer as she sang the last verse.

"_I'll take back everything I said_

_I didn't realize I was talking to the living dead."_

She continued to play, hoping the feeling in her chest would diminish along with the midnight eyes she knew were watching her. Her fingers got tired though, and she was getting frustrated. She stopped playing, ending on a hard chord, the harsh sound reverberated through the house.

"Can't you just leave me the hell alone? I don't want to talk to you," she said out loud, keeping her head down. "You made it very clear last night what you are after. But you did something that is unforgivable. I'm only human, Damon." Nilly continued, her voice echoing slightly.

"You did that, even knowing everything. Everything I've been through. After all that I told you, you still did that to me. What was I to expect from a _vampire_, though?" Nilin said, spiting the venomous word out. "You got what you wanted. You have the damn grimoire, and now Elena's missing, Stefan's out looking for her and I'm stuck here." Nilin slammed her fist down on the piano keys, causing an awful noise to echo. She took in a few slow deep breaths before continuing.

"You're old pal Anna took her to make a deal, but I bet you already knew that. She wants that book too." Nilly said, she unclasped her straining fist. "Pour Gilbert girls, right? Both held for ransom in a matter of 24 hours. Let's just hope one of us is saved in the end."

With the last words out, the feeling in her chest vanished. Nilly looked up, the room was empty. She stood up just as the front door slammed closed. She let out a shaky breath and sank back down on the piano bench.

* * *

God damn humans. Humans are such weak, insolent creatures with pathetic emotions to go with them. Damon cursed out the very existence of them as he barreled down the side walk.

No matter how hard he tried Damon couldn't get Nilin's voice out of his head. It made his fist clench and his jaw ache. He hated the way she pulled the meager man out of him. Guilt and regret burned in his veins just to be covered up by the anger of his demon.

Human emotions, he was feeling human emotions again because of her. The scraps of morality he had left were starting to claw their way out of him.

Damon tired to suppress it as much as he could. He used that anger to focus on the next task ahead of him. Collateral damage. That's all Nilin was, collateral damage. A shame—but not uncommon— that someone had to get hurt. Did he mean for it to be Nilin? No. Was he going to guilt trip himself because it was her? No.

He had burned bridges with Nilin one way or another, better now then ever. Now he just had to focus on the tomb and opening it.

Anna had left a very obnoxious voicemail on his cell phone on how if he ever hoped to see the tomb open he should meet her in the Common. That's where he was heading when he had heard her walk into the boarding house unexpectedly and clearly distressed.

He had finally left though, and now he was watching from a shadow of a building for Anna.

That's when he spotted her, and the other Gilbert, Jeremy. _Hmm, interesting_. Damon thought as he watched. They were talking, both smiling like two gooey teenagers. Finally the boy left and Anna sat on one of the benches. She watched Jeremy's back as he walked away and Damon made his move. Using his unnatural speed, he appeared next to Anna.

"Got a hot date or you just nabbing the entire Gilbert family?" he asked, enjoying the twitch of surprise that went through her body. She turned towards him, smiling.

"Party, actually," she said. "Right next to the old cemetery. Isn't that nice of them? Lots of warm bodies for starving vampires."

Damon wasn't amused. "I told you I work alone."

Anna shrugged. "Yeah, so do I. But," she continued. "You're minus a Gilbert and I'm minus a spell book."

He let out a dry laugh. "Not a smart move messing with Elena," Damon informed her.

"Stefan will come after you," he said starting to stand, done with the conversation.

"I know about the other one too, Damon. The one with the weird name."Anna said, causing him to freeze and sulk back down in the bench. "The one you've seemed to have taken a keen interest too. What's her name?" she pondered, putting a sarcastic finger to her chin.

"Nilin," he answered, feeling that human part of him wither with the mention of her.

"That's right," she smiled. "I wonder which one I should kill first when I don't get what I want." Anna got up to leave.

Damon sighed. "When do you want to do this?" he asked reluctantly.

Anna turned around and laughed, "God, it's like 1864 all over again," she sneered. "You Salvatores are truly pathetic." Shaking her head, she looked at him all mocking humor gone. "Tonight. At sundown. Meet me at the church."

And then she turned on her heels and walked away.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Hey my fabulous readers! Here is the second part to the chapter. I'm somewhat following the TV series plot line, but I'm somewhat not following the TV series plot line. I would love to know what you guys think, I want to hear whats on those minds of yours. Only way to do that is REVIEW! So tell me what you guys think, thank you so much and see you Friday!  
Favorite, Follow & Review  
RLS

**Featured Song:  
**Escape by Muse

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url,

Magnolia & Shellie:  
/chapter_twenty-two_shellie_mags/set?id=94741102

Nilin:  
/chapter_twenty_two_nilin/set?id=94761571

Anna:  
/chapter_twenty-two/set?id=94764229


	37. Chapter Twenty-Three: The Tomb

**Chapter Twenty-Three: The Tomb**

Elena watched Ben as he sauntered about the room, asking her about one thing or another. He was mostly curious about witches. "Witches don't have eternal life, right? So they can die."

Elena didn't answer a first, then she turned her head. "Vampires can die too," she replied. He sulked over to the bed, a dry smile on his face.

"Not as easily as human's though," he snickered, getting closer to her.

Elena back up on the bed a little, but still Ben came.

Suddenly there was a cracking noise and Elena turned her head to see the door being kicked open. Ben yelled in pain as the sun filtered in, sizzling and blistering his skin. Looks like Anna didn't fit him with a witch's day-light ring just yet.

"Stefan!" Elena gasped in surprise as he came through the door.

"Get outside," he ordered, eyes locked on the withering Ben who had made it to the shadows. Stefan pulled open the curtains, illuminating the room even more. Elena didn't waist another moment, she rocketed off the bed and out into the humid sun.

She heard Stefan's voice coming from inside the motel room. "When the sun goes down, leave town. If I ever see you again I will kill you." She heard him threaten and then suddenly she was in his arms, clutching him for dear life.

"Let's get you home," he said.

Soon they were back at the boarding house, Stefan not letting go of her once. He opened the wooden front door for her, his hand on the small of her back. Stepping in to the house, she heard her name being called. "Elena?" Nilly's voice called as her head popped out into the hallway.

"Nilly!" she smiled as she went to hug the other girl.

"Oh, thank god." Nilly was saying, her arms tightening around Elena. "You scared the absolute shit out of me," she nearly yelled. Nilin slipped out of the hug and pushed Elena's shoulders causing her to step back. "If you had gotten yourself killed I would have brought you back to life to kill you myself!"  
"Nilin, let me apologize," Elena pleaded.  
"Oh don't patronize me, Elena. I'm your goddamn sister, you don't do things like this to your sister, understand?" she said, almost chastising Elena.

"Listen…" she tried to say but Nilin cut her off again.

"Nope, you're turn to listen," she said, jabbing a finger at Elena. "If anything ever happens like this again, if you stick another knife in my back Elena, I'm leaving. I'm packing up my stuff and getting the hell out of this town. Because you, you are the only thing that's keeping me in this horrible place." Nilin's voice wavered at the end of her threat. "Understand?" she said again, her finger dropping. All Elena could do was swallow hard and nod, chocking back the tears. "Good," Nilin said before wrapping her arms around Elena and enveloping her into a hug.  
And with the magic of Nilin, the tension blew over and they managed to sit in the family room. Stefan on one chair, Elena and Nilly on the other. Elena sat and listened as Nilin recounted how they found her and why Anna had taken her in the first place. She told them about the two girls at the book store. Though very vague about some things, Elena understood that they weren't normal. Not that much in this town seemed to be anymore.

She explained about the girls' gifts. The one, Magnolia, had the power to feel other's emotions. Nilly had called her an empath. Her cousin, Shellie, was able to see things. Nilly told her how she saw Elena in the motel room, which allowed Stefan to find and rescue her.

Finally, the discussion of the tomb came up. Elena heard Nilly sigh heavily. "So what do we do now?" Elena asked.

"We need to let him have Katherine back. He's not going to stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it." Nilly said, looking down at her hands. "It's what I've been trying to do from the start, I just never realized there was a hidden agenda," she continued coldly.

Elena sighed and looked at Stefan. "What do you think?" He shook his head.

"What other choice do we have?" Stefan said.

"We still need to get Damon to agree, and Bonnie too." Elena realized.

"Bonnie?" Nilly questioned.

Stefan looked at her. "You need a witch to break the spell and open the tomb," he explained. Nilly just shook her head. "I'll talk to Bonnie," Elena said. "Besides, Damon already agreed once."

"Yeah, and we double crossed him. So now he's angry." Stefan added.

Nilly shook her head again. "Not angry, hurt. There's a difference," she said. Then she looked up at Elena and Stefan. "I think I know what I have to do."

* * *

Nilin made her way up the stairwell of the boarding house. She'd never been up there before, but it was just as old and vast as the first level. She didn't know where she was going, she was just following the pull in her chest down the hall. An hunch of sorts, you could call it.  
Nilly stopped in a room that seemed to be a library, walls lined with books. In the middle of the room stood Damon, back towards her as he looked down at something on a large wooden desk.

"I'm going to have to change the locks," he said, still not facing her. "Elena stage a jailbreak?"

"Stefan." Nilly answered, crossing her arms.

"Ah, brother. Ever the white knight," he said, with a dry smile.

Nilly squeezed her palm, gritting her teeth slightly. "Elena convinced Bonnie to help you," she announced.

Damon turned towards her now, an eyebrow arched. "I doubt that and what happened to that whole you not wanting to talk to me thing?" he said, his lips perking up in a cold smirk.

She ignored that comment. "You were willing to work with us yesterday." Nilly said.

Damon shook his head, stepping towards her. "Fool me once, shame on you," he said.

Nilly's jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. "Don't you realize Damon, I didn't fool you. I didn't know they had other plans in mind until the moment you did," she explained, voice rising. "I was fooled too."

He was quiet for a moment, eyes looking her over. "Not interested," he said, turning back around. Nilly went down the steps and walked over to him, a few feet away. He twisted back to her, watching her.

"What reason do I have for even helping you now, other than wanting you gone?" she asked bitterly. Damon didn't say anything, his eyes were on hers. "I know the betrayal hurt you," Nilly continued. "I know what it feels like, trust me. But, I'm promising you again, I will help you get Katherine back."

"I wish I could believe you." Damon shrugged.

Nilin laughed coldly as she shook her head. Damon's eyes bunched together at this. "That's just you, Damon. Isn't it?" she asked. "You could never do wrong, right? So when anyone else does an inkling of something that is not in your favor, they should be damned to hell," she said, standing toe to toe with him now. "Please, Damon. Tell me if I'm correct or not here."

He waited a moment before a smirk spread across his face and he took a step back from her. A first for Nilly, making _him_ the one to retreat. Damon just chuckled to himself as he walked over to the desk in the room and went back to scanning through a book. "Like I said, not interested."

Nilin narrowed her eyes at him as her hand went to her wrist and she unclasped the silver chain. He looked up at her as she dangled the chain in front of him. "Ask me if I'm lying now," she said, placing the bracelet on the desk. His eyes drifted to it.

"You know Anna won't stop, by the way, no matter what I do," he said, gaze still cast down. Her eyes stayed on him, though, not backing down.

"Then we'll deal with it," she replied. Nilly watched as Damon picked up her bracelet gently, careful not to touch the charm. Then he took her hand and reclasped it around her wrist again.

"I never meant you any harm, Nilly," he said, his hand still holding hers. She swallowed hard, eyes on his and pull out of his grasp. "Don't make me regret trusting them again." Damon continued his stare searing her.

"When are we leaving?" she asked, her voice detached. He dropped his hands.

"Sundown," he answered. Nilly nodded and started to leave the room. She stopped in the door, a hand on the frame and her back to Damon.

"After tonight Damon, I don't want to see you again," she said, her voice breaking slightly as she left the room, not looking back.

* * *

Nilly and Elena were walking through the dark, right on the outskirts of the old cemetery. The tomb was located under Fell's Church which was set back into the Old Wood. The air was stiff, still humid from sun that had set about an hour ago. A breeze blew as they made their way to it, Nilly started hearing laughter and conversations. As they got closer, they saw lights and people, teenagers with beer bottles and red plastic cups.

"The Duke party, I forgot." Elena said. Nilly turned to her, "What?"

"And older guy that used to got to high school here. When he comes home from college every summer he throws a party, beers, kegs and all that.

"Well, let's just hope they stay clear of the church." Nilly said.

"Your hope, not mine." Damon said, coming up behind them. Elena jumped at the sound of his voice, Nilly had no reaction.

The three of them kept walking, making their way through the already tipsy party-goers. The tomb was a few acres away, hopefully no one would drunkenly wander that far.

"Elena, hey!" Someone called. Nilly and Elena both turned to see Matt and Caroline walking towards them. Nilly let out a groan, receiving a glare from Elena and a smirk from Damon.

"Elena! Oh my god, where have you been?" Caroline asked as they stopped in front of them. Caroline's eyes went to the two people standing behind Elena, her and Damon. That snotty look came over Caroline's face as she grabbed Matt's hand.

"Long story, no time to tell it." Nilly said, crossing her arms. Daggers went Nilly's way.

"I wasn't talking to you." Caroline spat. Nilly tensed up, stepping forward with a cold smile on her face. She went to speak but got cut off.

"Sure you were." Damon said, stepping next to Nilly. Caroline turned her attention on him. "But we're leaving, this way," he said pushing Nilly and Elena forward.

"I'm sorry, guys." Elena called over her shoulder as they started the other way. Nilly just sped up, getting away from Damon's hand on her back. Her eyes just as cold as her smile had been.

A little later, after much complaining from Damon about their speed, they reached the tomb. It was in a small clearing littered with dead leaves from autumns past and surrounded by large trees. The ground had been cleared away, revealing old crumbling steps. Nilly went down them carefully behind Elena, Damon behind her.

Someone had lit torches set up to form the corners rectangle. The light bounced off the graying stone bricks around them. The floor was dirt covered, crumbled stone remains in the corners. In the far side was the entrance to the tomb, a gigantic stone slab acting as a door. A pentagram drawn on it over a hundred years ago, when it was first sealed.

Nilly felt goose bumps run up her arms, this wasn't a good place. Damon stepped around her.

"Brother. Witch," he greeted Stefan and Bonnie. Who were already down there, setting up for the ceremony. Stefan stood by the one wall, adjusting the one torch and Bonnie knelt on the floor in the middle.

Both glared at Damon, as he just returned a smile. "Everything okay?" Stefan asked, his eyes on Nilly. She looked up, her voice still bitter. "I just want to get this over with. Are we ready?"

Bonnie stood up and nodded. "Yes." She walked over to the torch Stefan had been fixing it and lit it. "Air. Earth. Fire. Water." Bonnie said, holding out her hand to Elena. She reached in her bag and handed her a water bottle.

"That's it? Just water from the tap?" Elena asked.

"As oppose to what?" Bonnie smiled. Elena shrugged.

"I just figured maybe it'd have to be blessed or mystical or something," she answered. Bonnie just continued grinning as she poured the water around the floor. Leaning on a wall, Nilly's attention turned to Damon as he pulled something out, Stefan must have caught it too because he spoke up.

"What's that?" he asked, eyeing the blood bag in Damon's hand like Nilly was. Damon looked up at Stefan.

"It's for Katherine. Got to have something to get her going," he smirked. "Unless one of the girls are offering to tap a vein." Stefan glared at him.

"Admit it," Damon said cheerily. "You can't wait to get rid of me." Stefan stared straight at him.

"I can't wait to get rid of you," he answered. Nilly pushed off the wall quickly.

"I can't breathe down here," she said rushing past Damon and Stefan up the rickety stone steps. The air did seem cooler out now as Nilly charged away from the tomb. Whether it actually was cooler or it was humid underground, she didn't know. She went over and leaned on a tree, sliding down it into a crouched position. Nilly put her head between her legs, attempting to slower her breathing.

She couldn't do this, it was too much. Her mind was numb, her emotions were frostbitten into silence and her body ached. She felt the cord linking her to sanity slowly shredding as she closed her eyes. Nilly didn't hear anything, but she knew someone was standing in front of her.

"Go away," she mumbled.

"You're getting frighteningly good at that." Damon said. Nilly didn't look up, she didn't say anything. She just focused on her breathing as her fingernails dug into her palms.

"_Are_ you okay?" Damon asked.

"You lost the right to ask that," she replied between gritted teeth.

"Well, what do I have the right to say then?"

"Nothing," Nilin nearly spat. There was silence after that, the only sound coming from Nilly's heartbeat.

"They're ready," he said at last. Nilin finally looked up as she slid back up the tree. Ignoring the hand Damon had held to help her off the ground, Nilin brushed past Damon, walking back down into the tomb.

Nilly made her way back down to the dark, dank tomb and stopped at the bottom of the steps. Bonnie was in the middle of floor, eyes closed and hands held out, palms up. She was chanting something, repeating it over and over again.

"What is she saying?" Damon asked, coming up next to her.

"Sounds Latin." Stefan answered.

Nilly shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't think its Latin," she said ignoring the eyes that went to her. She was too focused on Bonnie as she repeated the spell. Suddenly the torches flared up, ground rumbling slightly. With a loud hallow pop the door of the tomb opened. Bonnie's chat ended as the dust settled. An astonished silence fell over the group as they all stared at the tomb. They had opened it.

"It worked." Elena breathed.

"Of course it worked." Bonnie answered. Damon turned towards Stefan. "Don't you have some fires to build?" he asked. "You know, for the others."

Stefan nodded. "I'm going to get the gasoline, I'll be right back."

"I'll help you." Elena said as the two went out of the tomb. Nilly watched them go up the steps, a sinking feeling settling in her stomach.

"You ready?" Damon asked, causing Nilly to turn back to him.

"What?" she bunched her eyebrows together.

Damon smiled darkly, a disturbing expression on his face. "I'm gonna go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" he raised his eyebrow. Then he reached for Nilly's arm.

"Don't you dare take her in." Bonnie warned, raising her hand. "I'll bring the walls down."

"You'll bring the walls down even if I don't." Damon shot back. "Think I trust you?"

"As much as I trust you." Bonnie said, arm still raised.

Nilly pulled her arm out of Damon's grip and stepped back. "Enough. Both of you," she glared. "Look, he needs leverage. He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside." Nilly said, turning to Damon. "I get it, I'll go."

"Nilly-" Bonnie said, lowering her hands.

"It's fine, I'll be right out and this will be done." Nilly said, giving a weak smile. Bonnie tossed her a flashlight.

Damon walked over to one of the torches and grabbed it. "May I?" he smiled. Bonnie just glared at him as he motioned for Nilly to go first. With a deep breath she walked over to the stone door and went into the darkness, Damon behind her.

* * *

Elena stood in front of Stefan as he fiddled with the gasoline torch. She looked around the night forest when something caught her attention. "Stefan…" she said quietly, her eyes locked in front of her. Stefan stood up next to her, both staring at a smirking Anna.

"Hey hero. I'm going down there to get my mother," she said, stepping forward.

"I can't let you do that." Stefan said.

"Well, Ben's about to make a main course out of Jeremy. So you can stop me or him. Your choice," she smiled. Elena stifled a shriek when she saw Ben come out of the shadows with an unconscious Jeremy. He tossed her brother on the ground at his feet and Stefan had to hold Elena back from running over to him.

"Guess he picked the wrong party to go to." Ben joked. Elena glared at him, her attention going from her brother to the advancing Anna. She swept passed Elena and Stefan as she went down into the tomb. Elena turned back to Ben.

"Do you really think that she cares about you?" Elena asked. "You're disposable."

Ben shrugged, squatting down next to Jeremy. "I don't care. She already gave me what I want."

Stefan laughed, "Are you going to say eternal life? Are you really that stupid?"

Ben stood back up at Stefan's mocking. "You know, I've heard about you," he said to Stefan. "You don't feed. You're not strong enough to beat me." Ben smiled.

Then quicker than Elena could see, Ben rushed at Stefan. Elena stumbled back as Stefan, just as fast, knocked him on the ground. The nozzle to the gasoline tank appeared in Stefan's hands.

"That's all you got?" Ben asked cockily, blurring back to his feet. Elena saw Stefan smile.

"No, I've got this." Suddenly Ben was a blaze, withering on the ground and Stefan was dropping the nozzle. He quickly guided Elena over to Jeremy. Elena let out a relieved breath as she felt Jeremy's pulse under her fingers.

"Jer, Jer?" she said shaking him. His eyes blinked open, slowly.

"Wha-what happened?" he asked, sitting up on his elbows.  
"I don't know why don't you tell me?" Elena asked with false anger. "Have you been drinking tonight? Did you pass out?"

Jeremy seemed utterly confused by these questions. "I- I was with," he shook his head.

"I want you to go home now." Elena ordered. "Or I'll tell Jenna about this." Jeremy stood up, brushing himself off.

"Or worse, I'll tell Nilly," she warned. Jeremy grumbled something, still seeming out of it. She handed him the flashlight she had and her car keys. "Go Jeremy and if you can't drive, wait for me. Understand?"

He blinked a couple of times, still staring at her. "Yeah, yeah. Okay," he said, rubbing the back of his head. Elena walked him into the woods until she thought he was close enough to the party and heading in the right direction. Then she turned and hurried back to Stefan, who was watching the smoking remains of Ben.

"That was too close," she said coming up to him. "I don't think he expected anything, but I'm not going to be sure until we get home."

"Come one, we better get back down there." Stefan said, taking her hand.

* * *

**ANNOUNCEMENT!  
**Hey guys, so I'm going to be taking a hiatus. Don't worry, its only for a week. My classes start up again on Monday and I'll just need a week to situation myself and figure everything out. I will be back post on** Monday September 1st**, but I will only be updating every Monday and Friday instead of three times a week. I'm leaving you guys one last chuck of story on Sunday before I go on my week long hiatus though, so look forward to that.  
Thank you guys so much for the wonderful feed back. It means so much to me :)  
Talk to you guys on Sunday,  
RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url,

Nilin:  
/chapter_twenty-three_nilin/set?id=95006116


	38. Chapter Twenty-Four: The Trapped

**Chapter Twenty-Four: The Trapped**

Nilly shakily made her way through the darkness. The tomb was tight, cold and had dripping stone walls on either side of her. She followed Damon through it, the musty earthy smell filling her nostrils. He was walking quickly and Nilly was struggling to keep up with him. Then they both stopped.

"What is that?" Nilly asked panicked, gripping her flashlight. All around them was whispering, hushed moans and faint voices.

"They sense you." Damon said starting to walk again. "Now, where is she?" Nilly was looking around her when suddenly everything got darker. She turned back to Damon, but he was gone. She gasped, her breath quickening

"Damon?!" she called in a startled gasp. She held her flashlight in front of her with shaking hands. It illuminated the floor but that was it. Nilin was blind. She slowly made her way forward over the crumbled stone ground, vines and creepers stretching across and up the walls. The tomb opened up slightly and she was no longer being suffocated by the damp cold walls.

"Damon?" she hissed his name louder. Again she heard the whispering around her. It sent chills running down her spine. All of a sudden Nilly was going down, her foot caught on something as she fell to the ground. Nilin's miniscule amount of coordination allowed her to catch herself on her one hand and she fell painfully on it. The flashlight rolled out of her grasp, its beam landing on something.

Nilly choked back a scream as the light showed a mummified body. Graying skin, dirt filled clothes, it laid against the wall with its head cocked to the side. Nilly fidgeted to get a hold of her flashlight. Grasping it, she stood back up, sweeping the light along the walls, more bodies. All holding that gray skinned look and slumped against the wall. So this is what two hundred years can do to a vampire.

Her eyes widened in horror as she looked at the faces. Not paying attention to the ground, she tripped over something again. Nilly was pretty sure it was a leg as she went tumbling forward.

Her landing wasn't as hard because, this time, she had fallen on one of the mummified vampires. Nilin's breaths were coming out in quick gasps as she tired to stand back up. As she scurried off the body, the vampire's eye flashed open, staring at her. Nilly nearly shrieked as she fell backwards and scrambled up on to her feet. Keeping her eyes on the mummified vampire, Nilin backed up slowly away from it.

Suddenly her body backed into something hard. Not a something, a someone. Nilly sharply inhaled as she spun, flashlight shining on a smirking Anna with her eyebrow raised in surprise. "You must be as love struck as him. Huh? Helping him search for her, now that's a martyrdom heart if I've ever seen one." Anna said, stepping towards her.

Nilin backed away from Anna, flashlight shaking. Nilly took another step back when her foot hit into something again. She took her attention off of Anna as she spun to see what it was. The light shown on another body, this one in a 19th century dress. It was a woman, with dull black hair.

The light went off the woman as Anna pushed Nilin out of the way, causing her to hit into the wall. "Mother! Mother." Anna gasped as she got to her knees next to the woman. Nilly watched as Anna shook her, while at the same time stroking her face. She turned back to Nilly, daggers in her watering eyes. "Your little boyfriend did this you know?"

Nilly shook her head, ignoring the b-word. "His father did," she defended, pressing her back up against the wall.

"And Jonathan Gilbert," Ana said standing up. "I made the choice a long time ago that it would be Gilbert blood that would bring her back to life." She took a step towards Nilly. "I had Jeremy all ready to go but…" Her eyes sharpened as she reached for Nilly.

* * *

Elena and Stefan made their way back down into the tomb to find Bonnie standing alone. Her brown eyes were locked on the entrance.

"Where's Nilin?" Elena asked, panic building inside her.

Bonnie's eyes never moved from the tomb. "Damon took her inside," she said.

"What?" Elena and Stefan shouted simultaneously. Stefan started for the door of the tomb, but Bonnie grabbed his arm.

"Stefan! If you go in there, you won't come out." Bonnie urged.

The room went still for a moment as Elena let out a slow breath. "What did you do?" she asked.

Bonnie released her hold on Stefan's arm and looked at Elena. "Opening the door didn't remove the seal," she said. "It just opened the door."

"What's the seal?" Stefan asked urgently.

"Some seals keep vampires from entering. This one keeps them from leaving." Bonnie explained. "Nilly's human. She can leave. But Katherine can't, Damon can't."

Elena's hand went to her mouth as Stefan closed his eyes and released a low defeated sigh. "You were never planning to lift the spell, were you?" he asked.

Bonnie shook her head. "I told Elena when I agreed to this, I will protect my own. Nilly can get out, and that's all that matters," she answered.

Suddenly a piercing scream echoed from deep inside the tomb. "Nilly!" Elena yelled, running instinctively to the entrance, but Stefan was quicker.

Bonnie grabbed Elena's arm stopping her as she watched Stefan disappear into the darkness. Tears sprang to her eyes. "Stefan!" she called after him, slightly struggling against Bonnie's grip.

"He made his choice!" Bonnie yelled, holding the frantic Elena in her arms.

"No, no! There has to be a way," she yelled back. "Bonnie, there has to be a way!"

Bonnie went still. "There might be, just stop thrashing around and let me look," she urged.

Elena stopped fighting, but the tears still came. Bonnie knelt down, picking up Emily's grimoire. She flicked through a few pages before she spoke. "I'll do it," she said. "But even if I'm able to bring seal down, there's no guarantee that I can get it back up again." Bonnie warned.

Elena just nodded. "It's Stefan, Bonnie," was all she could choke out. That determined look came over Bonnie's face, the one Elena's seen may times before.

She grabbed Elena's hand. "My Grams said it herself, many things can fuel a witch's power. Like love, Elena." Bonnie explained. "I'm going to need you help."

"Anything," she nodded, wiping the wetness off her cheeks.

"I'll need to channel your inner power, your essence. Everyone has it, and if I can tap into yours I'll be able to do it." Bonnie explained.

"What do you need me to do?" Elena asked.

"Stand here, hold onto my hands. Close your eyes and channel your emotions." Bonnie instructed, standing in the middle of the floor again, hands linked between them. "What ever you do, don't break the connection," she warned. Elena nodded again, and shut her eyes.

* * *

Anna's dark stare glared at Nilly as the veins creped from under her eyes. She held Nilly's arm in a painful grip as blood from the bite wound began pool out of her wrist. In one motion Anna pulled Nilly down to her mother, shoving Nilly next to her. The mummified body stirred as its lips went to Nilly's wrist.

"No, don't!" Nilly cried, fight against Anna, who just tightened her grip on Nilly's arm, causing her to shout out in pain. The pain grew worst as the Anna's mother began to drink feverishly.

"I'm going to get you out." Anna said to her mother, completely ignoring Nilly's struggle. Just as she was starting to feel light headed, Nilly heard someone yelling.

"Let her go!" Stefan yelled and the hands on Nilin vanished as he pulled her away.

"Stefan?" she asked confuse, clutching her wrist to her chest.

"Go. Go, I'm right behind you," he urged.

Nilly turned when she heard a new voice.

"Anna. Annabelle," came a horsed weak sound from the women on the ground. Stefan pushed Nilly forward as her eyes ripped from the once lifeless body and she began running, stumbling through the tomb. Finally she saw the light of the torches as she slipped out of the tomb. She was breathing heavily, her wrist still to her chest.

Once her eyesight focused again, Nilin saw Bonnie and Elena standing there.

"Nilly," Elena said, her eyes bloodshot. "Stefan…"

Nilly shook her head, and pointed over her shoulder. "He's right behind me," she assured Elena. Bonnie just shook her head, both girls wearing a sad look on there faces. Nilly turned around to see Stefan at the entrance, not moving. His head down.

"Stefan, what are you doing?" she asked. He looked at her, his eyes sweeping behind Nilly to Elena.

"It's going to be okay." Bonnie said. "We'll fix it."

Nilly turned back to Bonnie. "What is it?" Nilly shook her head. "Someone explain to me what the hell is going on?"

"He can't." Elena said, her voice breaking on the last word.

"Can't? Can't what?" Nilly asked, her voice getting frantic.

"The spell's still up. We can't get them out yet." Bonnie explained. Nilly heart dropped her hands going to her mouth.

She turned back to Stefan slowly. "Oh Stefan," she whispered. "You went in there not knowing if you could come back out?" Nilly heard Elena let out a shudder behind her.

"I heard you scream," was all he said.

"No, not for me," Nilly shook her head. "You're not getting stuck in there for me."

"Nilly—"

"No Stefan, were getting you out. You have Elena out here, and you are not going to be separated from her because of me," she said.

"Even if I'm able to break through the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long." Bonnie informed them.

Nilin looked to Stefan and Elena. "We can't leave him in there. We promised him, _I _promised him." Nilly said, her eyes landing on Stefan.

"I know," he nodded, understanding, and quickly retreated back into the tomb.

Nilly looked at Elena. "We're gonna get him out of there, got it?" she reassured her sister. Elena nodded and Nilin watched as she joined hands with Bonnie.

"You ready?" Bonnie asked and again Elena nodded Bonnie began reciting something, saying it over and over again. Her lips moving quickly as she gripped Elena's hands. The torches suddenly blazed around them.

"I think its working," Nilly said as she turned to the entrance of the tomb. Just then Nilly saw Anna's face as she came out of the tomb. Supporting her mother, an arm draped around her neck, Anna held up the hand that wasn't grasping her mother's waist.

"I just wanted my mother back, you understand," she said, inching around Nilly. "Jeremy's fine, I swear I won't touch him." Nilly nodded, her lips in a tight line as Anna back out of the tomb.

"Bonnie, keep going! They better hurry," Elena said, eyes still closed but she sounded out of breath. Nilly rocked back on her feet as the torches began to falter. Stefan saved her, it was her chance to repay the favor.

Without a second thought, Nilin ran back into the tomb, hearing Elena's shouting behind her. She carelessly stumbled through the tomb, desperately tiring to find the brothers. But she was determined to keep moving, she need to fine them. Heading deeper in the tomb, Nilly heard someone shouting.

"She's not here!" Nilly heard Damon yell as she turned around a stone wall. Nilly saw something go flying across the room, and hit the wall hard with a splat. Red dripped down the wall as Nilly gasped.  
"Damon, we need to get out of here." Stefan urged, reaching for his brother. Damon ripped himself from Stefan's grasp.

"It doesn't make sense! They locked her inside," he yelled, his face contorted with anger.

"If we don't leave now, we're not getting out." Stefan yelled back. Damon wasn't listening though, he had plunged too far down in his pain to be paying attention to Stefan's words.

"How could she not be in here?" he asked, his eyes filled with emotion.

"It's not worth spending all of eternity down here!" Stefan pushed, taking hold of Damon's shirt. "She's not worth it."

"No!" Damon yelled throwing Stefan back.

Nilin shot forward, away from the wall. "Damon!" she yelled, his eyes locking on hers. "Please," she said softly. "Please, let's get out of here. We'll figure this out, we always do," her voice pleaded. He stared at her for a moment, then nodded once.

Both he and Stefan went to follow after her. Nilly pushed Stefan in front of her this time, as they turned to make their way back out. Suddenly strong arms wrapped around Nilin's waist and she felt the air swoosh around her. Next thing she knew, Damon was placing Nilly back on the floor outside of the tomb doors. The ground began shaking as Damon released Nilin.

There was a scrapping sound and then a sharp thud as the tomb door closed, resealing itself. The sound of Bonnie's voice faded out. Her eyes were shut and her knees began to wobble. The torches burnt out as a gasp passed Bonnie's lips and she collapsed into Elena's arms. Nilly ran over there as Bonnie opened her eyes.

"I'm okay, I'm okay. That was just a tough one," she reassured, trying to catcher her breath.

"Stefan, help me get her outside." Elena called and Nilly back out of the way as he came over. As they got a fading Bonnie outside, Nilly realized her hands were shaking. She squeezed them into fist, and made her way out of there too.

Above ground Bonnie was leaning under a tree. Stefan and Elena were just pulling out of a hug as they smiled at each other and Damon… Nilly looked around for him. She caught sight of him heading towards the tree line.

"Damon!" she called and he stopped walking. He kept his back towards her as she started towards him across the clearing.. The others were watching Nilly apprehensively.

"Damon," she said his name again, softer now. He turned towards her. She could tell he was trying to keep his face blank, but that dark wall he put up was shattering Nilin saw that, he knew she saw that.

"I'm sorry," she said tenderly. Then she reached up on her tippy-toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. He didn't respond at first, his body rigid. Then slowly Nilly could feel him melting as his arms wrapped around her. She rested her chin on his shoulder as they stood there. "I forgive you," she whispered.

He squeezed her to him once more, before she backed up. A sad smile on her face as he nodded at her, then turned and disappeared into the forest.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Here it is guys, the last part I'm giving up before I go on by little hiatus. Remember, its only for a week! I will be back next Monday continuing the story. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I'm so thankful for all of you :)  
Bigger news I've reached 10,000 views! Now, that's probably not that impressive but this being my first fanfiction, it's absolutely amazing. Thank you all so much. I'm truly astounded.

I will see you all in a week! Keep on reading, let's turn that 10,000 into a 20,000!  
_**FAVORITE, FOLLOW & REVIEW**_

RLS


	39. Chapter Twenty-Five: The Distraction

**Chapter Twenty-Five: The Distraction **

His eyes burned with anger, his entire being was a blaze. Damon's thoughts rocked back and forth, causing him to see red. He had been searching for her for almost a hundred and forty-five years. He had been so close, he was confident she was in there. But she wasn't. How could Katherine not be there? No of this made sense. He wasn't thinking clearly as he sat in the dark, waiting.

He needed answers and he knew who had them. His hands were balled into permanent fist and his breaths came out as a hiss. His hearing picked up on the lock clicking, sliding as the door opened. He could see her before she saw him. She was too busy, too focused on getting her barley moving mother through the door.

The lights snapped on and Anna let out a gasp as she finally saw Damon, sitting on the chair. "You knew Katherine wasn't in there," he said.

He saw her grasp her mother closer.

"You wouldn't have helped me," she said cautiously.

Damon sneered. Then in one movement he was across the room, slamming Pearl into the wall and wrapping his hand around her neck.

"No Damon! No!" Anna yelled, trying to claw him off her mother. Damon held her back easily with his other hand.

"Why do you get a happy ending?" He spat, venom in is voice as his grip tightened on Pearl.

"Damon, please!" Anna cried. "You wouldn't have helped me, you know you wouldn't have!" She repeated as if that was the only logic her panicked brain could come up with.

"Why do you get it and I don't?" He asked again, because that was the only thing he could think of.

"The guard," Pearl gasped suddenly in a weak airy voice. Damon looked at her. "The one at the church, the one who locked us in. She promised to turn him. He was obsessed with her," she explained. "She had him under her spell, like everybody else. He let her go." Damon stared at her for a moment, the words trying to sink into his searing brain.

He let go of Pearl, backing up as she slid down the wall. Anna caught her, supporting her weight again. She looked up at Damon.

"Last I saw her was Chicago, 1983." Anna said. "She knew where you were, Damon. She didn't care. Sorry."

Damon back up slowly as Anna hugged her mother. He went out of the motel room, in a numbed blank state. He needed a distraction something before he snapped the switch off. The demon in him was itching for it, just one seconded and he'd be devoid of emotion. He wanted to, desperately but something was stopping him as he fled back into the darkness of night.

* * *

Nilin had made it home. Elena had taken Bonnie home, so Stefan drove Nilly back. She smiled and softly thanked him before she opened the car door. The porch light was on which meant Jeremy was home. Nilly went up the stairs to check on him. Stefan had informed her of what her little cousin was up to at the party and how he ultimately ended up unconscious in the clearing.

She grabbed a few pills and a glass of water as she went to Jeremy's room. "How's your head?" she asked, coming into his room. He was sitting on his bed and snapped up when he saw Nilly, a confused look on his face. "Elena told me," she explained.

"Uh- it's alright. I just wish I knew how I passed out," he said taking the ibuprofens from Nilly's hand. "I didn't drink that much I swear."

Nilly smiled and sat next to him on the bed. "And you don't remember anything?" she asked.

He shook his head slightly. "The whole things pretty cloudy. I just… I know how this looks. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Jeremy," Nilly said putting her hand on this shoulder. "Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything, okay?"

He looked up at her, through his too-long hair. "Yeah, okay." Nilly smiled and got off the bed.

"Jenna's still out, Elena went to Bonnie's for a little, and I'll be in my room if you need anything," she said, heading for the door. Just then her phone rang. She slipped it out of her pocket and held it to her ear.

"Hello?" she asked as she headed for her room.

"Hey, It's Elena."

"Hey, how is she?" Nilly asked, stepping into the room.

"Exhausted, it took a lot out of her but she should be fine." Elena said. "I'm going to stay her for a little, just to make sure she's okay. I'll be home late, okay?"

"Alright, be safe." Nilly said into the phone as she closed the door behind her.

"I will, love you."

"Love you, too." Nilly replied, ending the call and turning to her dark room. She stopped, feeling that something was off. Her one window was open, the curtains billowing slightly in the night breeze. Her room was dark, the only light coming from the sliver of moon in the sky. Nilly's hand went along the wall searching for the light switch.

The room was illuminated as Nilly's hand found it. She did a 360 around her room, it was empty, the only sound coming from her over hyper lungs. She shook her head, tossing her phone on the bed. Nilin's imagination was getting the best of her, but with recent events could you blame her?

She went to her dresser pulling out her usual pajamas, leggings, a T-shirt and her comfiest oversized cardigan which she might have stolen from Mildred. Heading to the bathroom to change, she closed the door behind her for her own reassurance. Her clothes were swapped out for her PJs, her hair was pulled out of the pony tail to release the curls. They bounced on her shoulders and down her back as she washed her face, the cold water waking her up slightly.

Flicking off the bathroom light, she opened the door and almost had a heart attack. Nilly jumped at the sight of Damon sitting on the foot of her bed. Her hand went over her heart as she gasped for air. "You scared me," she said breathlessly.

He had his eyes forwards, staring into space. "Sorry," he mumbled, bending forward and grabbing a bottle off the floor. Damon put it to his lips, taking a quick sip.

"Are you drunk?" she asked, cautiously keeping her distance. "And you're upset…" Nilin groaned.

He laughed, shaking his head. "No, I'm not _upset_. Upset is an emotion specific for those who care," he answered.

She sighed, taking a seat next to him. "Ah, that's right. Just keep building that façade of yours up. Big, bad, heartless vampire who doesn't care if the world burned," Nilly shrugged sarcastically.

"It's worked this fair, hasn't it?" he asked, a humorless smirk on his lips.

"Has it, Damon?" she questioned quietly. He didn't answer her of course. Instead he took a longer sip from his bottle. The smell of whiskey hit Nilin's nose, making it wrinkle. "You smell like a bar on St. Patrick's Day," she told him.

"One hundred and forty-five years, Nilin, and she's been free all this time," he said out of the blue, ignoring her comment. She noticed his grip tighten on the bottle in his hand. Nilly turn to him questionably and slid off the bed to look at him, his eyes still off in the distance.

"Damon, listen. I don't think you should be—"

"She wasn't there!" He suddenly roared, eyes snapping to hers. Nilly jumped a little, taking a precautionary stepped back. A startled look came over her face before she could compose herself. Damon sulked back down, eyes sliding on the floor.

"Damon, you're scaring me," Nilly said softly, pulling her cardigan around her tighter. He just laughed.

"I'm a vampire, Nilin. Remember? That's what I'm supposed to do." Damon eyed her before his head tipped back as he took another swig of whiskey.

"You're hurt and angry right now. And we both remember what happened the last time you felt like that." Nilin said. She truly was becoming a bit frightened by him. Damon was unpredictable and she was in his line of fire.

"I won't hurt you again," he mumbled. Suddenly he took her hand and tugged, pulling Nilin towards him. Her legs pressed up against his knees as he looked down at her hand in his grasp. Nilin was tense as the silence stretched on.

Damon's fingers brushed against the palm of her hand. He pushed up the sleeve of her cardigan as his fingers continued to trail up her wrist to where the bite mark Anna had given her was. It had stopped bleeding and was just raw looking now. Nilly had barely noticed the bite till his figures gently swept over it.

"Damon," she said, her voice just above whisper. "Talk to me."  
He didn't say anything, his gaze was fixed on the bite as his thumb brushed it again. Nilin attempted to pull her arm out of his grasp but she couldn't. His grip on her tightened. "Damon," she warned, pulling at her arm again. He was slowly bringing her wrist closer and closer to him. "Damon, stop," she said again, swallowing hard. Nilin froze as his lips touched her skin. She locked up, eyes on him, waiting for his next move. She was expecting fangs and blood, but not the soft tender kiss that he left on the wound. Gasping at the feeling, electricity and chills shot through her body all at once.

Finally he let her arm go, and Nilin slowly retraced it, holding it against her chest. "I think you should go," she said in a hoarest whisper. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her body was running hot and cold at the same time.

"Abandoning a man in his time of need?" he asked. The softness in his features disappeared again behind the cold mask. "That's not the Nilin way," he plainly smirked.

"What do you want from me Damon? What could I possibly give you that I haven't already?" she asked him, getting angry. She knew she should feel bad for the pitiful creature in front of her, but his arrogance was infuriating.

"Don't start," he sneered, taking other drink.

"Don't start?" Nilin questioned. "Oh, now I'm supposed forget everything in the past and show you sympathy because you're heart broken? Well, doesn't that make sense!"

"I don't deserve you showing me any kind of emotion that resembles compassion, Nilin!" he snapped, his eyes pinning her in her place.

She swallowed hard, biting this inside of her cheek. Taking in a few even deep breaths, Nilin calmed herself down. "I understand what you must be feeling right now," she said softly.

He laughed as the bottle appeared again and he tipped his head back. "Really? I doubt that. Have you been chasing your vampire ex-lover for the past hundred years, just to be another guy played and deceived by her?" he scoffed, taking another gulp.

"No, not exactly." Nilly said, "But, anger, sadness, and betrayal are all things that I am very familiar with." She reached for the bottle. "First off, this," she slipped it out of his hand, "isn't going to help anything." He glared at her, but his hand dropped to his lap.

"You want to turn it off, don't you?" Nilin asked quietly. She had known about the "switch" that vampire refer to for a while now. Mildred had explained it to her and now Nilin understood what it really meant. Damon just stared at her, he didn't say a word. "So, did you come here for me to talk you out of it, or for you to say goodbye?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I was going to do it, but for some reason I just couldn't. I traced that reason back to you." Damon told her. They were silent for a moment.

"You can't turn it off," she said finally in a hushed whisper. He didn't respond at first, Nilly almost thought he wasn't paying attention at all but then he spoke.

"And why's that?" he asked, trying to reach for the bottle. Nilly moved her hand behind her back, out of his reach.

"Because what would be the point of that? Sure you'd live in some careless bliss and not give a damn about anything anymore, but only for that inevitable point in time to come and the switch flips itself back on," she answered coldly. "And where would that leave you then, Damon?"

Suddenly Damon stood up right in front of her, giving her no room to breathe. His face was close to hers and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "But then I could take what I want when I want it, I could be just like Katherine. I can be manipulative, and selfish. I wouldn't give a shit about anyone, just like her." And there it was, the stem of this entire problem had poke her ugly head back in. Katherine.

Nilin's heart was pounding in her chest as he backed her towards the wall. Her one hand was between them, clutching her cardigan and trying to put some distance between them. The other was behind her back, still wrapped around the whiskey bottle. She knew what she was facing and that she should handle the situation with care, but for some idiotic, brave reason she did the opposite. She looked up at him boldly, and asked, "What's stopping you now?"

He was quiet for a moment. "You," he nearly growled. He stepped towards her again, until he had her pressed up against the wall, his arms pinned on either side of her head. "You, you weak, dumb, stubborn, infuriating human being."

"Gee Damon, you really know how to woo a girl." Nilin said, shrink back against the wall. She didn't like feeling trapped, especially with him. He intense gaze never broke, it made her squirm between his arms. "Damon, you need to leave now."  
"Oh, come on," he said. His breath tickled her cheek.  
"Before one of us does something we regret," she told him, her voice wavering as she looked up at him.

"Why?" he smirked, then his lips came crashing into hers. She was shocked at first, her body stiffened up at his rough onslaught. She began to lose herself though and she started to kiss back. The liquor bottle dropped from her hand, sliding to the floor with a thud. His hands slid down the wall to grip her hips and pull her fervently to him. She gasped against his lips because of the force, but soon her arms were linked around his neck.

Her mind was blurring, her body was reacting to his touch but then her thoughts sobered a little as she pulled away from the kiss. His lips traveled to her jaw line tracing it, then to her neck as she forced her eyes open.

"Damon, no- stop," she said, breathlessly. She put her hand on his chest, trying to push him back but he continued to tease the side of her neck. "Damon, stop," she said more urgently. He hesitated for a moment and looked at her.

"Why?" he said again. This time she saw him lean towards her. Biting her lip, she turned her head away.

"No, not like this. Not when you're drunk," she told him.

"You didn't have a problem kissing me drunk before," he grinned, his grasp tightening around her. Nilin looked him straight in the eye.  
"Not when you're thinking of Katherine." Nilly said, both hands on his chest now. He froze, his dark eyes capturing her. He stepped back, allowing Nilly to finally breathe. "I can't do this, Damon. I want you to let me in Damon, I really do. But I don't want to be her replacement, anymore," she said, advancing towards him now.

"You're right, you're nothing like her though. You stopped being her replacement a long time ago," he informed Nilly.

"When?" she asked softly.

He just smiled slightly at her, and gently placed a kiss on her forehead. He stepped back for a moment, still silent. Nilly felt him run his hand through her hair, wrapping the ends around his finger. He watched her for a moment and then he leaned in slowly, giving her a chance to flee. But she stayed absolutely still as his lips touched hers once more, sending shivers throughout her body. He untwirled her hair from his finger and headed towards her open window.

"Damon," she called after him. He stopped and looked at her, one boot on the window sill. "Don't let her be the death of you, she's not worth it," Nilin said, strongly. He gave her a nod and then vanished from her room.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I'm back! Did ya miss me? :) I hope you all had a wonderful week and a great Labor Day weekend. Its been a long week but I'm back and ready to start updating again. Every Mondays and Tuesdays now. Here's a little Damon and Nilin one on one. Tell me what you think! Leave your comments good or bad and I will see you Friday!  
Thank you so much!

_**Favorite, Follow & Review!**_

RLS

**Check Out the Outfits:**

Go to Polyvore DOT com and attach the following to the end of the url,

Nilin:  
/chapter_twenty-five_nilin/set?id=96130056


	40. Chapter Twenty-Six: The Five Stages- Pt1

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Five Stages- Part 1**

She didn't hear Elena come in to her room, but suddenly Nilly was being shaken up out of her dreams. She groaned slightly trying to push Elena away, she wanted to go back to her actually pleasant dream. But still she was being forced to wake up.

Nilin's eyes opened and she looked up at a red eyed Elena. Nilly scooted up on the bed, now facing her. "Elena? What time is it?" she yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"It's three in the morning," she answered in a horsed voice. Why was she waking her up so early? If the sun wasn't up, neither should be Nilin.

"Why are you waking me up at three in the morning?" Nilly asked, finally pulling out of sleep. Elena shook her head, gripping Nilly's hand. Panic shot through her veins as worst case scenarios began to roll through her mind.

"Can you just come downstairs for a little?" Elena asked softly. Nilly nodded, her mouth slightly opened with confusion. She slid out of bed and pulled her cardigan around her. As Nilin stepped out of her room into the lit hallway, she saw the bedroom doors open and heard murmuring downstairs.

Nilly followed Elena down the steps slowly, feeling as if she was sleep waking. Everything moved in a dream like state. Elena led her into the family room, as a strange surreal feeling began to take over. Turning the corner, Nilly's eyes flashed over Jenna on the couch the phone to her ear. Alaric was there sitting next her, a hand on her back. Jeremy was sitting on the arm chair, his elbows on his knees as his head stayed down. Nilly took in the crumpled tissue in Jenna's hand, the sober pained look on Alaric's face and the quiet stillness that fell over the room as she entered. No one looked up at her.

She was sitting now, unsure of when she decided to do that. Her eyes slowly swept over the scene in front of her, feeling as if she was detached from it all, watching from the sideline. Elena was sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of Nilly, taking Nilin's hands in her own.

"Nilly…" she said her name slowly, causing Nilly's attention to snap back on her. "Something happened." Nilly stared at her silently, not understanding any of this. Or not wanting to. "You're dad…" Elena choked out. Nilly shook her head, pulling out of Elena's hands.

"No… No…" she stammered.

"It was a heart attack, Nilly." Elena continued, tears sweeping down her cheeks. "Mildred found him, but it was too late. She tired to, the doctors tried to... they couldn't get him back." Elena forced the words out as if Nilly was listening. She wasn't, her head was shaking back and forth, uttering 'no' over and over again.

"What are you saying? Stop, Elena this isn't funny." Nilin nearly shouted.

"Nilin, he's—" Elena tried to speak.

"No, stop. Shut up, Elena!" Nilly yelled. She was on her feet now, walking over to the wall. Her hands went racking through her hair. Her head still shaking as she forced the thought out of her head.

Her body shuddered as she heard Jenna sob into Alaric's shoulder and Jeremy stood, quickly turning to the window. She watched them as Elena, continued to try to get through to her , but if she didn't think of it, it couldn't be real. She looked up at Elena, who was watching her intently.

"He passed away, Nilly," she said softly and then it hit Nilin. She let out something that can only be described as a wale as she sunk to the floor. Gripping the roots of hair as the tears came, shaking her body. Her heart was cracking, she was sure of it. Her own heart attack, what else could the piercing pain in her chest be? Her sobs grew louder as her entire world crashed around her.

"He promised me, he promised…" she gasped between sobs. Arms came around her, Nilly leaned her head on Elena 's shoulder. Then she felt Jeremy sink on the other side of her as he rested his hand on top of Nilly's knee. All of them crying, living in a state of horrific remembrance.

Memories came flying back to Nilly of her mother's last days, her funeral, the eulogy Nilly gave, the song she sang as they lowered her into the ground. Nilly had done the same thing at her Aunt Miranda's and Uncle Grayson's funeral and now she would have to do that all over again.

"He can't be dead." Nilin mumbled. "He can't."

In the morning, news would have gotten around. Jack Gilbert had died, leaving his already instable daughter behind. People would be coming to the house, asking with somber voice's what they could do as they dropped off tins of food, casseroles, cakes. All with some desperate hope that their family's chili recipe could revive the dead.

Whispers and rumors will start. The women down at the flower shop saying one thing to the butcher and him telling his wife who runs a book club every Thursday evening. That's how it was in a small town and Nilly would have to go through all of it again.

They all sat like that until the orange glow of the sunrise peaked over the horizon. It would be a beautiful July day in Mystic Falls .

* * *

They say there are five stages of grief. Nilly was still only in the first one: Denial & Isolation. When the first of the condolence calls came in was when she somehow made her way up to the bedroom. Locking the door behind her, she collapsed on the bed. She didn't move, she didn't cry.

Her hands were trembling though, but she didn't think much about that. Knocks came on her door, she didn't answer. More frantic banging, and then the huff of frustration at her lack of response. Eyes looked on the wall across from her, legs dangling off the bed slightly, hair tangled behind her. That's how she laid there, unmoving.

Nilly knew they were putting together plans downstairs, calls were being made, information being spread. She knew she should be helping with that, but she couldn't move from her spot. If she stayed here she'd eventually wake from this nightmare.

Completely numb, that's how she felt. She wasn't tired, hungry, cold or hot. She didn't want a blanket or a glass of water. The only thing she was feeling was the dull pain in her chest that came with each heart beat. Thoughts swirled through her head as reality tried to fight its way in, but it was fighting a losing battle.

It was impossible what they told her. Her father wasn't dead, he didn't have a heart attack. He was back in Hopesville, heading home from the law firm he worked at. He'd come home to where Mildred was cooking dinner. He'd be sitting in his recliner, watching the baseball game. Nilin knew that was true. Her dad wasn't on some medical slab, or in some wooden box. That's impossible.

The knocking on her door happened less often as the sky outside grew darker. The sun set threw strange shafts of light into the room and Nilly swore they were moving. Her dad used to tell her stories of pixies that flew around the house, hiding his keys or unplugging the vacuum while he was cleaning. He used to say that you could only see them right before the sun rose or the sun set.

She wondered if the pixies were in the light of the sunset, if they knew that the one who told her about them was no longer here. And with that thought the levers broke, reality finally sinking into her brain. She turned over on her stomach and pressed her face into the mattress as she let out a scream that left her breathless. Nilly had reached stage two of grief: Anger.

She sat up on the bed, her skin was hot and the tears burned down her cheeks. Biting down on her lip, she tried to stop herself for shrieking again. Nilly spotted the bottle of whiskey she had confiscated from a drunken Damon last night, it was laying on its side. Not enough liquid left in it to spill out, but enough to make Nilly get up and walk over to it. She grabbed the bottle and slumped down on the floor, pulling her knee's to her chest. She looked at the bottle in her hands, glaring at it.

This was the reason her father was dead, because he couldn't stop drinking. Even after he promised her he'd get better, after he swore everything would be fine. He lied to her and now he was gone. Nilly stared at the alcohol with disgust, then in one swift movement she threw her head back swallowing a mouth full. It burned its way through her body, tingling her stomach.

She lean her head back on the wall, eyes squeezed shut. Soon the bottle was empty, but it wasn't enough to dull any of the pain. It barely made her tipsy. Nilly stood up, leaving the bottle on the floor and headed for the bathroom.

She turned the shower on as hot as it could go and stripped her pajamas. Standing under the steamy water, Nilly leaned her head on the shower wall and let the water pelt her back. The water ran cold and she switched the water off. Drying herself with a towel she stepped out of the bathroom and dressed in a blur.

The picture frame on the nightstand caught her eye. Nilly walked towards it and gripped it in her hand. Peering down at it her eyes glazed with tears. [Then in one swift movement] With out thinking, she sent it hurtling towards the other side of the room. It slammed into the wall, glass shattering. Nilly slid down onto the floor, leaning her head on the side of the bed as the frantic knocking started again.

* * *

Stefan never felt so exhausted before. He had spent the day at the Gilbert house, doing what he could to help. Elena had cried for a while, the pain in her eyes haunting. Stefan knew the tears were for her Uncle, but the pain was for Nilly. He hadn't seen her the entire day and that worried him greatly. She refused to open her door, so everyone just let her be. He wanted to help though, someway.

So he headed back home to the boarding house. The moment he opened the door, he was struck with the sickly tempting smell. His jaw began to ache as he made his way into the living room. He stopped, crossing his arms over his chest.

The music was pounding, the air held the smell of liquor and blood and he had found the source. Damon sat, draped on the couch with his face smothered in to a blonde's neck. He had another one on the other side of the couch and two very drunk girls dancing behind him.

Stefan cringed inwardly as the ache in his jaw grew. He walked over and turned off the stereo. Damon's head slid up from the girl's jugular as he turned to find Stefan.

"No," he wined. "Buzzkill Bob." The girls around him giggled as Stefan just glared. "Greetings," Damon smiled, throwing his arms around the girls on the couch.

"Can we talk?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah," Damon answered with no indication of getting off the couch.

"Without your human mini-bar." he pushed. Damon just stared at him with a drowsy look on his face as he flashed him a toothy grin.

"Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of them. They're really good at keeping secrets." The girls giggled again.

"Damon," he said in a strained tone. And with a groan, Damon got off the couch and stumbled towards him. Stefan stood by the back corner next to the large stain glass window and Damon squinted his eyes at the light as he went over.

"You're worried about me, that's nice. Don't be," he said, eyeing Stefan. "There's no need, I'm fine." Damon smiled throwing his hands in the air. "Why wouldn't I be? Spent the last 145 years with one goal, get in that tomb. I succeeded," he paused. "Granted, Katherine wasn't in there to be rescued, by why dwell?"

Stefan went to say something, but Damon cut him off. "No, it's so liberating not having a master plan, because I can do whatever the hell I want," he continued.

"That's kind of what I'm afraid of." Stefan mumbled. Damon laughed, swaying a little.

"Relax," he grinned, placing a hand on Stefan's shoulder. "I haven't killed anyone in—" he thought for a moment. "— too long."

"Those girls?" Stefan asked, indicating his own personal sorority group.

"Will end up in their dorm with headaches, thinking they blacked out. Business as usual." Damon shrugged, reaching for a bottle of bourbon behind him. "Predictable you didn't pull me over here for a pep talk," he eyed Stefan. "So drink up. Spill it, brother." Damon raised the bottle, downing a gulp.

Stefan groaned, he couldn't believe he was actually going to ask him this. "Something happened to Nilly," he said slowly. Damon tensed up, detaching the bottle from his lips. "I think you should go talk to her," Stefan continued with a sigh. Damon's eyebrows shot up.

"I thought you were all for me putting miles between us," Damon glared curiously. Stefan clenched his jaw, the only reason he was doing this was because Elena thought it was the only way to get Nilly out of her bedroom. But Stefan feared what would happen if Damon was in this kind of state.

"I'm giving you two options, Damon. You either keep your distance from her and leave her the hell alone or actually do something with your miserable self and talk to her." Stefan roared. His brother's glare hardened as he took another sip from the bottle and Stefan knew he hand hit a nerve. "It's important," he said more calmly.

"Nothings important, not anymore," Damon smirked. "Great chat," he stared to back away. "I have to go exploit some women in the name of grief, which I'm sure you understand," he said heading over to the couch. Stefan balled his hands into fist and left the room.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Hey guys! Happy Friday! Classes have been running me to the ground but I'm here, on schedule, and with a new chapter! Not the happiest chapter, I know. Nilin and Damon are both having a really _really_ crappy time. Tell me what you guys think is going to happen and how our favorite duo will get through this. I will see all you lovely people on Monday! Have a fabulous weekend everyone :)  
_**Favorite, Follow & Review! **_

RLS


	41. Chapter Twenty-Six: The Five Stages- Pt2

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Five Stages- Part 2**

He could see her lying curled up on the floor, cheek pressed on the hardwood and hands balled into her chest. Damon would have thought she was dead if it wasn't for her watering eyes and the slight movement of her shoulders as she breathed. Every so often a tear would build up and roll down her cheek. He watched from his normal perching place.

The window was slightly he positioned himself just right he could make it though, opening the window as he went and hopefully not smashing anything. But who knows, he still felt the numbing effects of his consumption of alcohol. So, maybe that wasn't the smartest idea at the moment. Instead he waited, just watching her. She looked like a ragdoll. He'd never seen her so weak.

Focusing his hearing, he picked up on music coming from the cracked open window. It was a low hum of a beat, a man singing from her stereo.

_"Leave me alone_

_It's nothing serious_

_I'll do it myself It's got nothing to do with you_

_ And there's still nothing that you could do _

_So come in my cave _

_And I'll burn your heart away _

_Come in my cave _

_And arrest me for my mistakes."_

Finally Damon decided to give it a shot and dropped from the branch. He landed on the ground silently and walked directly under her window, cranking his neck up at it. Pulling his body into a crouch, he focused all his power in his legs and shot forward. Easily reaching her window, he grabbed the frame and raised himself up, pushing it open more. Then in one swift movement Damon swung the rest of his body through, and casually sat on the window sill.

He starred at her, Nilly starred back. She'd seen the entire thing but still made no indication of moving. "I have a door, you know?" she whispered.

"Yeah, but I heard that it's not open to visitors," he smiled back, and as if on queue there was a light knocking on her door. Damon stilled, his smile dropping but Nilly made no indication of answering it. Her eyes stayed on him, peeking out from under her bangs.

"Nil?" Elena's voice came from the other side of the door. "Nilly, can I come in please?" There was a pause. Nilin was silent on the floor. "Open the door, please." Still Nilin didn't answer.

Then Damon heard Elena's footsteps fading as they retreated from her room. Damon slid down next to her on the floor and that's when he was hit with the smell of blood. It was light enough to be masked but enough to make his temple pulsate. He looked down at Nilin and spotted her clenched hands.

"Hey, hey. What'd you do here?" he asked softly, reaching for her fists. She let him take her hand away from her chest but it was still balled up, she was squeezing so tight her knuckles were white. Damon pried her fingers open gently and smoothed them back. A familiar ache came to his jaw but he quickly dismissed it and it reseeded back again. Nilin's hand was cover in blood, it looked like she'd been hand painting with it. He could see the cuts in her palm, some deep other appearing to be just scratches. "What happened?" he asked again.

She couldn't hold his eyes now, they darted past him. "I tried to clean the glass up, I didn't mean to break it," she said in that same whispered tone. He looked down at her concerned, and followed her eyes to the other side of the room. A broken picture frame laid on the floor, he could see the red tinted shards of glass around it.

He glanced down at Nilly before he stood up and walked over to her bathroom. A damp washcloth in hand, he went back over to Nilin and pulled her up softly. He shifted her body so she was sitting up against the bed and then he very tenderly began wiping the blood away, cleaning out the scraps of glass in her cuts. Nilly's eyes stayed locked on her opened hand as he worked. Never did she complain or even show any sign of being in pain. Her eyes just stayed down.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, barely moving her lips.

"For what?" he asked as the last of the blood disappeared. She didn't answer him, so Damon stood walking back into the bathroom to dispose of the stained washcloth and find something to cover her cuts with. He returned again, taking the same position in front of her as he grab her hand and wrapped it in an ace-bandage.

"People are dying around me, they drop like flies." Nilly finally answered. "I'm like the damn Black Plague."

He was quiet for a moment, then he tucked his index finger under her chin and brought her eyes up to his. "Don't ever think of yourself that way," he said calmly.

"What other explanation is there for everything that's happened to me?" she asked.

"Why do bad things happen to good people?" Damon asked, sweeping her bangs out of her eyes. "It's how this screwed up, manic world works." There was silence that fellow over the room as he dropped his hand from her hair.

"My dad died," she said slowly her voice building to more than a whisper. The look on her face seemed as if she needed to her herself say those words. He starred at her, the pain in his chest growing as a tear tumbled from her eye. He caught it quickly, feeling her lean into his hand. "Is it my fault?" she asked innocently.

"Of course not," he answered, flattening his palm on her cheek.

"If I stayed and made sure he got better, even if it was for a couple days maybe he wouldn't have…" her voice trailed off as more tears fell.

"If you stayed there any longer you'd be dead, Nilin," he said. "You know that, too." The look on her face convinced him that she was fully aware that she could've died at the hands of Christian in that town, but that she didn't care.

"There was something I could've done, though." Nilly said. "I wasn't even there…"

He sighed, placing his other hand her cheek as well, holding her delicate face in his grasp. "Don't do that to yourself. He wanted you here, he told you himself. That was his final request for you. He wanted you to be happy." Damon said quietly. "In my book he was being dad of the year and it's a hell of a lot more than my father ever did for me."

Tears began to spill quicker from her eyes. He wiped them away as she spoke. "I can't do this anymore. Its too much," she whispered, sounding so broken. "I don't want to feel like this anymore."

Without thinking he pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. Nilly rested her head on his chest, her hand clutching his shirt as she began to cry. He held her as tremors shook her body. Then he noticed her irregular breathing again.

"You need to relax Nilin," he murmured in her ear. He felt her trying to take a deep breath, it came back out as a gasp. Damon ran his hand up and down her back, evenly coaxing the breaths out of her. She was able to take a deeper lungful of air as her sobs quieted into whimpers.

She gasped slightly as he stood, taking her in his arms with him. Damon placed her on the bed, smoothing her hair from her face. He pulled at the comforter on the other side of the bed and threw it around her. Nilly starred up at him with half closed eyes. He laughed slightly.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asked, the corners of her lips twitched up slight. Not a smile, but getting there.

"I can ask you the same thing," she replied lazily.

He smiled down at her, and slowly pressed his lips on the top of her head. "Get some sleep, Nilin. I'll check on you tomorrow," he promised.

He went to leave when her hand reached out and grabbed his, her touch sending an electrical current through him. "Can you stay? At least until I fall asleep?" she asked softly, her eyes already straining to stay open.

He smiled at her as she scooted over on the bed. Damon slowly lowered himself next to her on the edge of the bed, turning on his side and leaning his head on his hand. He reached behind him to her nightstand and pressed a button on her stereo, causing the CD in there to play again. The music started up softly as he turned back to her.

Her smile grew slightly, turning on her side as well to face him, as her hand stayed clasped to his in between them. "I love this song," she mumbled, yawning. She started to hum to it, pausing each time another yawn came to her lips. He watched her fight her sleep off as she drowsily mumbled to the song.

_"And I wonder if you notice_

_The days I'm not around_

_And I'll it up someday, someway, somehow_

_I'm crazy for you baby, can't you see?_

_And I'm wondering if you're crazy just like me?"_

Little by little her eyes closed, her breathing slowed and her heartbeat evened. Her face looked so peaceful, and he had another moment where he couldn't find a single similarity between her and Katherine. He lightly brushed her bangs out of her pale eyelids. She wrinkled her nose in her sleep, shifting towards him. He froze, his hand barley touching her forehead as she curled herself closer to him.

Nilly let out a sigh in her sleep, and he couldn't help but smile down at her. He watched as she slept, completely memorized by each of her little unconscious movements. Running his hand delicately through her hair, he laid there as she slept and retreated from her pain for a few hours.

* * *

"No! Stop!" she yelled, waking abruptly and startling herself. Her vision was blurred and fear shot through her. She could feel hands on her as she struggled to get away.

"Shh… It's me, I've got you." A strong familiar voice said.

"Damon?" Nilly whispered, ceasing her struggles as she blinked, trying to focus on him. Her room was dark and she could barley make out his outline as he pulled her closer to him, both sitting up now.

"I'm right here," he spoke softly, allowing Nilly to slow her breathing as he ran his finger down the side of her cheek calmingly.

"Damon," she whispered once more, leaning her back on his chest as her head rested on his shoulder. His hand combed through her hair, somewhat getting snared in her curls.

"You okay?" he murmured into her ear, sending chills through her body. She nodded slightly against his shoulder. "Mmhm, nightmare," she mumbled, closing her eyes as his fingers trailed up and down her arm.

"About what?" he asked in a hushed tone. Nilly swallowed hard trying to focus on speaking.

"I was in this meadow," she said tiredly and felt Damon pause for a moment, before he continued tracing the inside of her palm. "Just standing there in the middle of this tall grass," she continued getting flashes of her dream. "Suddenly you were behind me, calling my name. I started to walk towards you but you disappeared. So I turned around and I saw my dad. He was yelling at me but he was too far away and I couldn't hear what he was saying." Nilin explained, dreamily. "So I started running towards him. He was pointing and yelling for me to turn around and-" her voice cut and Damon hushed her, wrapping his other arm around her tighter.

"And I saw you," she continued softly. "You were running towards me when suddenly Christian appeared an- and he staked you…" her voice faded away as a shiver ran through her body making her shudder. Damon must have felt it because he pulled her comforter closer around her.

"It was only a nightmare, though," he murmured in her ear. "You can't get rid of me that easily." Nilly smiled in the dark, nuzzling into her blankets more, her eyes drooping slightly.

"What time is it?" she yawned. She felt him shrug behind her as his fingers began drawing circles on her forearm. "I thought you'd have left my now," she breathed sleepily.

"Like I said you can't get rid of me that easily," he whispered, his voice sending chills up her spine and cranking up her heart beat. "Now go back to sleep," he urged, his voice alone making it hard to stay awake. Nilly felt him press his lips to the side of her head as she leaned in to him more.

"Good night," she mumbled as she snuck off to sleep again.

"I'll be right here." Damon's voiced promised as she faded into the darkness.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Oh glorious Mondays, how I despise them. I hope you had a fantastic weekend, though. Here's the second half of this chapter, showing the aftermath of the events before. Tell me what you guys think! Thanks so much for the recent reviews. I love hearing what you guys think, so keep them coming!  
See you guys Friday!

_**Favorite, Follow & Review**_  
RLS

**Featured Songs:**

Cave by Muse

Crazy by Royal Bliss


	42. Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Small Steps

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Small Steps**

Nilly had no idea how long she had been asleep. It was one of those deep hallow sleeps that left her disoriented as she woke up. She rolled over in bed, her arm ran across the empty mattress. Huffing slightly, she felt as if something was off. Something was missing. Then her memory snapped back like a rubber band and she realized what it was... well, who actually.

"Damon…" Nilly mumbled, rolling on her back again.

"Yes?" came a velvet voice in the corner of her room. Nilly popped her head up to see Damon causally draped over the floral sofa, one of her old notebooks in his hand. He smirked from over the pages and Nilly let out a sigh of relief.

"You stayed," she breathed, shocked.

"Well, obviously," he said, motioning to his lounging form. "And you, Sleeping Beauty, left me to entertain myself." Damon smirked as he turned the page of her notebook. Nilin hoisted herself up and crawled off her bed. She snatched the notebook from his hands and jammed it under her pillow as she sat back on her bed.

"Slept well, I presume," Damon said. Nilly didn't respond. She just pulled her knees up to her chin. With a sigh, he made his way over to her bed as the numbness began to creep up on her again. He slid next to her, leaning back on the headboard. "You have to leave your room eventually… How about today?" he asked quietly.

"I can't," she whispered.

Damon gave her a look. "You can't?" he repeated. "I didn't know that word was even in your vocabulary" he said, giving her a little nudge.

"I don't want to," she rephrased.

"And I wish you didn't have to," he told her softly. "But Nilin," Damon reached out his other hand and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You do."

"Damon, I've gone to enough funerals to last me a life time," she stated, her voice quivering slightly. "How can I put on another black dress and hear people tell me how sorry they are?" Nilly uttered. His hand trailed down her jaw line and on to the mattress where he rested it on top of hers.

"If I had the perfect answer for you, I would tell you, princess." Damon said, his voice so soft it caught Nilly off guard. They sat in silence as the sunlight crawled its way into her room. In a quick movement Damon pushed himself off the bed, standing up. "Come on," he said, easily pulling her up next to him.

"You just have to make an appearance to let people know you're alive. Start with small steps." Damon instructed, smoothing out her hair. She didn't want to even think what her curly rat's nest looked like right now.

"It's not worth it," she motioned to her hair as he dropped his hands. Nilly pulled a hair tie off her wrist and wrangled her hair into a messy bun. "Presentable?" she asked. He tuck a fly-a-way behind her ear grinning.

"There. Now just go downstairs and get a bowl of cereal. when was the last time you ate?" he asked.

Nilly's eyebrows pulled together as she tried to remember the last time she even felt hungry. He sighed, patted her on the head and gave her a little shove towards the door. She looked back at him apprehensively, her chest growing tight.

"I'm not asking you to go down there all smiles, throwing 'Good Mornings' at everyone. I think at this point they'll be satisfied just to see you." Damon said, crossing his arms over his chest. She sighed and reluctantly opened her door, hearing it unlock. She sauntered down the stairs slowly, gripping the banister as she descended.

As she reached the last step she immediately wanted to retreat back up to her room. There were flowers everywhere, all with little white note cards sticking out of them labeled 'To: The Gilbert Family'. Roses, Marigolds, Chrysanthemums, it was ridiculous. She stroked the petal of a tulip in one of the bouquets, plucking it off the flower. As she made her way down the hall she crinkled the petal in her palm.

Nilly heard the scrapping of metal on glass as she rounded the corner to the kitchen. Three pairs of eyes shot to her as she emerged. They all stared at each other for a moment, then Nilly dropped her eyes to the floor as she made her way to one of the cabinets. She knew they were all walking on glass with her, one wrong word and it could send her spiraling over the ledge.

She opened the cabinet door and grabbed a box of cereal quickly before turning back around. When she did their eyes were already on her. A spoon hung from Jeremy's mouth as he watched her. That's when she realized how bloodshot his eyes were, just like Jenna and Elena's. She noticed Jenna's utter disheveled appearance, the dark circles shadowing her eyes. Elena's worn pale face, her jaw locked in concern as she stared at her.

She was hit with guilt as she realized that they had all been suffering. That they were all experiencing this lost as Nilly locked herself in her room. They have been taking care of everything, carrying her burden while she was MIA. How could she be so selfish? To leave her family like this, it wasn't her.

"Hi," she said softly.

"How are you doing, Nil?" Elena asked slowly.

Nilly looked down at the brightly colored box in her hands, nodding. "Smalls steps," she repeated Damon's words. There was silence as she asked, "Is there anything I need to do?" Looking up, she saw heads shaking.

"There's some paperwork you need to sign, but that can wait." Jenna answered.

Nilly nodded once and peered back down. "Um. When- When is everything?" she stuttered out, feeling a lump in her throat.

"It's tomorrow." Elena said, pivoting on the seat to face her.

"Yeah," Jenna cut it. "It's a mid-morning ceremony. Mildred said she was coming down late tonight. Everything has been taken care of, we're just waiting now."

Nilly swallowed hard. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I'm just going to take this," she waved the cereal in her hand. "And shower, then I'll be back down later to um- sign those papers." Nilly nodded.

"Okay," Jenna said as Nilly made her way out of the kitchen casually. The moment she was out of sight, she sprinted up the stairs to her room and straight into Damon's chest. He chuckled quietly as the door swung close behind her. He held her out at arms length in front of him, and examined box of cereal.

"Fruit-Loops?" He cocked his head to the side, fighting a smile.

She looked at the box she was gripping. "I was quick," she mumbled.

He shrugged and reached in the box, tossing a few in his mouth before he strolled over to her bed again. Nilin sighed before following him. They ended up sitting in front of each other on the bed, the box of cereal between them. He watched her carefully, making sure she consumed a satisfying amount of sugar. They were quiet for a while, until Nilin decided to speak up.

"Are you okay?" she asked him. "You know, with everything that happened with Katherine and all," she said hesitantly, looking down at the colorful cereal in her hand.

She heard Damon laugh. "Unbelievable," he huffed. "After everything you've been going through, you're still worrying about me."

"It's what I do." Nilin looked up at him and just shrugged. "You didn't answer my question," she told him quietly. Damon sighed as he laid back against her headboard.

"Life moves on, right?" he smirked.

Nilin gave him a pointed look. "You've spent over a hundred years hooked on this girl, and all you say is that life moves on?" she challenged him. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"You and me are the same Nilin," he said slowly. "We don't handle heartbreak well." She looked back down to her palm. She had been crumbling the cereal, leaving multicolored dust in her hand. He was right, of course. If their past was any indication, neither Nilin nor Damon handled any type of emotion very well. But emotion is a necessary aspect of living, for someone to go through life without it is cheating.

So why were people so afraid of emotions? Why was she? With everything that's happened to her, she no longer had an answer. So instead playing safe, Nilly asked the one questioned that only seemed to matter anymore.

"Do you still love her?"

Damon watched her as he tried to come up with an answer. The silence stretched. Nilin never dropped her eyes from his onyx ones. A small lopsided smile came to his face. "That's a good question," he said. "Ask me that in a day or two."

Nilin nodded, collecting her Fruit-Loop powder and sliding off the bed to throw it in her trash can. "And how are you doing?" she heard Damon say behind her. Nilin turned around slowly to find him standing right there.

"Life goes on, remember," she quoted him. She saw his expression harden over as he took a step towards her.

"Nilin," he pushed. She looked down, unable to hold his gaze anymore.

"Process. Accept. Move on." Nilin said quietly.

"What?" Damon's eyebrows pulled together.

"Process, accept and move on," she repeated. "It's the only thing you can do. It's how my father raised me."

"So it that what this is?" he asked her. "Is that what you're going to do?" Damon didn't seem convinced.

"Family has been the only thing I've ever had, and now half of them are gone," she began. "I have to go to my father's funeral tomorrow with Christian still out there looking to kill me. I have to deal with all that, plus finding out about the adoption, the possibility that there are more secrets out there, the fact that there are vampires, witches, seers and empaths in Mystic Falls." Nilin nearly cried out. She put a hand to her head. "On top of all that, I have you to deal with," she said, calming down. "So to answer your question, Damon, yes, it is what I'm going to do."

Damon was quiet as he waited for her fit to subside. Nilin was left breathing heavily and on the verge of tears. He approached her slowly before he took her face in his hands.

"I should go," he said quietly. She looked up at him and nodded. "I'm going to do the right thing by you," he promised her.

"Will you be there tomorrow?" she asked. Nilly leaned into his touch, as he stroked the side of her cheek. He didn't answer her as he bent down slowly and placed a kiss on her forehead. She frowned slightly at the lost of his touch as he pulled away, placing another quick kiss on her temple and vanishing from her room.

She sighed and placed her hand on her burning cheeks before her legs wobbled and she slid back down on to the floor.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Hey guys! Sorry about the late update. I hope you had a fantastic week. Here's Chapter 27 for everyone.  
Thank you to all the new followers and favorites I've gotten this past week. You guys are amazing! Let me know what you all think of the story so far by reviewing. I'll see you guys on Monday :)  
**_Favorite, Follow & Review! _**

RLS


	43. Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Funeral

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Funeral **

She stared at herself in the long full length mirror. A lace black dress that hung straight and slightly grabbed her curves was all she wore. It as in came right above her knees and her legs were hugged by black lace stockings. Nilin slipped her feet in to a pair of charcoal heels. A slight touch of eye liner and massacre on her eyes was the only makeup she had put on that morning. Her hair was back into a bun with braids wrapped around it and her bangs lightly laying on her forehead.

Nilly ran her hands down the front of the dress, smoothing it out as she let out an unsteady breath. As she stood in front of the mirror, there was a knock on her door. "Come in," she answered quietly. Elena popped her head in, wearing something similar to Nilly, minus the stockings. Her dress was more flowing, with a higher neck line than Nilly's. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail that hung down her back.

Elena gave her a soft smile as she walked towards Nilin. "Are you ready?" Elena asked.

Nilly nodded slightly. "Almost," she answered, trying to shove something into her purse. It wouldn't fit though, the bag was to small and she had too much crap. Nilin started to get frustrated as the index cards she was trying to fit in there were becoming crumbled. She let a a noise of frustration before Elena could walk over to her and take them out of her hands.

"Nil," she said, wrangling the cards out of Nilin's fist. "Nil, here. Let me do it," she insisted and finally Nilin gave up. Elena managed to slide everything in quiet easily. Then she wrapped her arms around Nilly. "It's going to be okay," she whispered to her sister. Nilin just nodded on Elena's shoulder. Elena pulled away and gave Nilin a small smile. She handed Nilin back her purse and then took her hand, leading her out of the door.

The day was calm, an eerie feeling had fallen over the town. The skies were perfectly clear, and the sun shined brightly above the gathered group of people. Nilly had wanted the funeral outside, not in some stuffy church, where she'd surely have a panic attack. So now people were showing up at the Mystic Cemetery, traditionally clothed in black. There were rows of chairs set up, she sat alone in the front. A pathway led down the middle, splitting the into two. Wreaths of white and red flowers were place everywhere. Nilly held the petal of a white rose between her fingers as she starred ahead.

In front of her, behind a podium that had been set up, was a dark mahogany casket. On top of the closed lid sat a beautiful bouquet of red roses, tied with a white ribbon. Nilly counted the petals on each rose as more people began to sit. The front row remained empty though, other than her.

So many people had shown up, practically then entire town. Even Mayor Lockwood himself sat with his wife and Tyler among the crowd. Nilly had spotted Caroline and her mother as well, as they went up to talk to Elena and Jenna. They stood towards the back of the last row of chairs, along with Mildred and Jeremy. The four of them solemnly greeted people, shaking their hands, nodding their heads as others took their seats. Some people came up to Nilly, placing a hand on her shoulder and mumbling condolences. She'd just nod and continue to count.

Finally everyone took their seats, Elena on one side of her, Jenna on the other. A silence grew as the ceremony start. The priest began, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for though are with me…" There were words of remembrance, prayers for the lost, and the little spew at the end about how we should continue with our lives.

Nilly kept her head down for most of it, her one hand toying with then end of her dress the other clasped in Elena's. Each sniffle, every soft sob, every pained noise pushed Nilly closer to breaking. Finally it came her turn to speak. Elena reluctantly released Nilly's hand and watched her like a hawk as she stood.

Nilly walked up and stood behind the podium, smoothing out the note cards she has been holding on to. She read over the words and then look up from them, meeting the blood shot, smeared eyes of many. Coughing awkwardly she began to recite what she had written, but stopped.

Glancing back down at the podium, she spoke. "I had written down what I wanted to say," she began slowly. "But now that I look at this, I realize this isn't what I'm feeling at all." She crumbled the note cards back in her hands and lifted her head up.

"My father, he- he was one of the most caring men I ever knew. That's why he became a lawyer, to help people. Whether it was to defend someone who had been wrongfully accused or bring someone else to justice, he did everything he could." Nilly spoke strong, but she could feel the build up of tears behind her eyes.

"He loved with his entire heart, and he also hurt with his entire heart as well. My father never got over my mother's death. He lost connection to the world when she died, she had kept him grounded. And I find it ironic he died of a heart attack, it's as if he had died of a broken heart. I'd like people to think of his passing like that.

"The last time I saw my dad he told me everything was going to be fine, and I was selfish enough to believe him. I was selfish for wanting to come back to Mystic Falls and not stay in that town for longer than I had to. I blamed myself. I knew if I had stayed, this might not have happened. But then I realized that he wanted me back here just as much as I did. He needed me to be home, so he had convinced me to leave him. Now I see that it was his way of trying to repay for all the years he wasn't fully there with me." She felt her lip began to quiver as she quickly wiped a tear off her cheek. Nilly's eyes scanned the people in front of her. They all were watching her, some even had tears running down their faces.

"There are so many things I want to say to him, so much I want to tell him. I want to yell and scream at him, but at the same time I just to hug him and make him tell me all those stupid scary stories he used to tell me and my cousins about when we were little." Nilly saw Elena and Jeremy's lips twitch up in a smile and she couldn't help but mimic them.

"He used to tell us about the things that go bump in the night, about lurking vampires and vicious werewolves that we had to watch out for. And the older I got, the more I would roll my eyes at them, and at him. I never realized how much I'd miss those stories. The last few years have been shaky, but I always expected that he'd be there to ride it out with me." She couldn't help the tears now as they slightly blurred her vision.

"I sometimes believe that us Gilberts are cursed. It's the only reason I can fathom why we've lost so much. And now we've lost another one, Jack Gilbert." Nilly choked out slightly. "Why it had to be him? I don't know. My dad has suffered enough, and even though it means I have to go on suffering, he has finally found peace. I know he's watching me right now, with that goofy proud grin he used to have when I accomplished something. And I know my mothers there too, healthy and glowing with her arms around him while she makes fun of the extra pounds he's put on." Nilly said, smiling through the tears. She noticed others with the same expression as her. All smiling with tears in their eyes because they knew she was right.

"And of course my Uncle Grayson, forever being that older protective brother defending my dad as well as cracking a joke and poking his own fun. While my Aunt Miranda just shakes her head at the both of them, I can practically hear her calling them five year olds," she laughed slightly. "That's the way I want to picture them. At this point, it's the only way I can. People say everything happens for a reason, but its getting harder for me to believe that. And I know I'll never understand why they were taken away from us, but they were. Now were left here to pick up where they left off.

"If I could say one more thing to my dad, it would be that I love him, that I understand and I forgive him for everything." Nilly voice was strained, this was the most she had spoken in days. "I know I'll see them again. Whether it be in the near future or 60 years from now, I'll see them again. Until then though, I guess I'll just have to keep moving on." Nilly finished her voice still strong but she felt exhausted now, as if the speech had aged her ten years. She heard a slow clapping start as Nilly nodded and went to go back to her seat. She stopped for a moment, and placed her hand on the smooth wooden casket as tears escaped her eyes. She gave a lopsided smile to it before she wipe a tear off her seat and returned to Elena.

Nilin had reached the final stage of grief: Acceptance.

* * *

Nilin was drained, she could barely hold it together. Today had taken everything she could, mentally and physically. She gripped the roses in her hands, while each arm was locked around Elena and Jeremy. Nilly took a shaky breath as they all watched the coffin being lowered into the ground. She heard the noises of mourning behind her as she held on to four roses. Everyone was gathered now around the six foot deep grave.

As it finally settled to the bottom, Nilly let of a sob she had been holding in. Her bangs fell in her face, hiding her eyes. She slowly unlinked her arms from her family and walked up to the hole. Spinning one of the roses in her hand, she peered at it through hazy eyes. Her fingers released it as it fell silently on the casket below. Then she bent down, crouching slightly and scoped a handful of dirt and watched it crumble into the hole as well. It stained her palm faintly with a dusty brown color.

Nilly felt a hand on her back. As she stood up, Elena bent down and copied Nilly's motions, dropping a fistful of dirt into the chasm. Nilly walked over to the grave adjacent to her father's and crouched in front of it. She placed a single red rose under her mother's headstone as tears dripped off her chin. Standing up, she brushed past her mother's grave to her aunt and uncle's, repeating the pattern. Finally she stood up and wrapped her arms around herself. Jeremy came over to her, pulling her into a hug as she silently cried on his shoulder. He led her over to the others, keeping a firm arm around her. Elena came on the other side leaning her head on Nilin, tears escaping her eyes as well.

That's when Nilin spotted Stefan. He had a pained look on his face as he watched Elena. Nilly nudged her sister and pointed in Stefan's direction. A sad smile came across both of their faces. Elena squeezed Nilly once more before she made her way over to him.

"Hey." Nilly heard him say solemnly as he took Elena in his arms. Nilly ignored the feeling in her chest as she leaned on Jeremy more, closing her eyes. She couldn't muster up the energy to look for Damon, but really she didn't think she could handle it if he wasn't there. So she just kept her eyes close and listened to the murmurs of condolences around her.

Nilly could feel her hands shaking slightly, and her uneven breaths were becoming more obvious. She began to feel lightheaded as her lungs shuddered for enough air. Nilly tired taking in a deep breath but it felt as if something was blocking her throat. This wasn't good. She felt Jeremy's grip on her tighten and she opened her eyes.

He met her panic-struck eyes and called out, "Elena!" Quickly his arms were replaced with Elena's. Nilly wheezed out a breath, gripping Elena's shoulder.

"Look at me, Nilin," she demanded. Nilly's eyes focused as another gasp escaped her lips. "Breath," she said slowly but just as urgently. Elena's hand rubbed up and down Nilly's arms evenly. Other people around were starting to notice her panic attack. Jenna and Mildred came up, surrounding either side of Nilly as she began to sway slightly. Elena was holding most of Nilin's weight now as she struggled.

"I'm fine." Nilly managed to say. "I'm fine." Slowly, the crowd around her began to disperse as her breathing evened. A shade of flustered red touched her cheeks, embarrassed at what people had just witness that.

Elena kept a firm arm around Nilly, glancing at her in the corner of her eye. Nilly focused on her breathing as she peered down into the grave once again. Her chest was still sore, but there was no longer pressure in her throat.

"Let's go," Elena said softly. Nilly nodded as she took one last look at the grave. They began to make their way out of the cemetery when two people caught Nilin's eye. A small smile touched her lips as she pulled away from Elena and made her way over to the two girls.

"Hey," Nilly said softly and immediately Shellie wrapped her arms around Nilly's neck. Suddenly she was gripping Nilly's face with her slim fingers, shaking her slightly.

"You are amazing, okay? You are the strongest person I know!" she gushed, hugging Nilly again. She couldn't help but laugh a little, and it felt good too. Shellie had on a long black dress that flowed to the floor, it hand thin straps and made her look super tall. Long gold earrings hung from her ears, through her curled hair.

"Thank you Shellie," Nilly said. "You guys didn't have to come," she continued, looking at Magnolia who had been standing quietly next to Shellie. She was dressed in long black pants with a tucked in white tank top and a matching black vest. Her hair pulled back into a long ponytail. Her hands were pushed deep inside the pockets of her pants as she smiled.

"Of course we did," she said, hugging Nilin quickly.

"How are you doing?" Magnolia asked, her voice sounding on edge. Nilly tired to let the numbness wash over her so her friend wasn't suffering as much as she was. Nilly notice Magnolia's shoulders instantly relax.

"Ask me in a week or two." Nilly answered. "How are you?"

Magnolia let out a strained laugh and Nilly put her feelings back in check. "Can't say I enjoy funerals," she smiled.

"Yeah, maybe we should go. You know, before you start slaughtering people." Shellie joked.

Magnolia gave her an exasperated eye-roll. "We can come by your house with everyone else if you want?" Magnolia offered.

Nilly shook her head, "Come by tomorrow, less people. It'll be more comfortable for you." Magnolia went to say something when her eyes traveled behind Nilly, just then Elena came up beside her. Smiling shyly, she gave a slight wave.

"Guys this is Elena, obviously." Nilly introduced. "And these are my little bookstore friends."

Shellie smiled and took Elena's hand. "Nice to finally meet you, we know all about you," she said.

Elena gave a soft confused smile. "Oh, Nilly's talked about me a lot?" she questioned.

"Nope." Shellie smiled innocently.

"Then you must be the seer," Elena said catching on.

"Ignore her," Magnolia said to Elena. "She's just trying to be creepy." That caused Elena and Nilly both to laugh a little. "Her name's Shellie and I'm Magnolia. We're deeply sorry for your loss."

Nilly's smile instantly dropped but Elena just nodded her head and shook Magnolia's hand. "I want to thank you for everything, being here for our family today and everything you've did before that. You helped save my life." Elena said quietly.

"You're welcome. Nilly came to us for help, so we helped." Magnolia shrugged. Shellie nodded in agreement. Just then Bonnie and Jeremy came up behind them and said something to Elena who touched Nilly's elbow.

"We should go," Elena said, and turned back to the girls. "It's a pleasure meeting you. Hope to see you around."

Nilly gave Shellie and Magnolia a tight smile and a quick hug. "I'll see you guys," she said, turning to follow Elena out. Elena and Bonnie had their arms locked together, walking close to Jeremy who had his head down as he kicked pebbles. Nilly began to go up the hill to catch up with them, when she felt a tug in her chest. She stopped almost reaching the others and turned around slowly. A few feet behind her stood Damon, dressed in all black with his hands behind his back. A somber smile graced his lips and Nilly felt her heart jump.

She wanted to run back down the hill, stumble like an idiot just to feel his arms around her. She took a few steps towards him when Elena called from behind her, "Nilly." She stopped and turned back to see Elena, Jeremy and Bonnie staring at her with a questioning look. To make matters worse Stefan came up behind Elena, wearing the same expression on his face. Nilly swallowed hard and looked back at Damon, he hadn't moved his eyes were still on her.

"Nilin, come on." Elena called again. Nilly sighed, she could feel their eyes on her. She wanted to go to Damon, but at the same time she couldn't handle the judgmental stares or chastised comments she'd get. Nilly started back up the hill to Elena who had a look of approval. She looked over her shoulder at Damon who was still standing there, he gave her a nod of understanding.

Nilly closed her eyes. She knew what she needed right then, and it wasn't her friends and family's approval. It was the feeling of being safe and whole again, even if it was just for a moment. Letting out a breath, Nilin quickly spun on her heels. She dashed down the incline, all but practically slamming into Damon. Her arms wrapped around him as she buried her face in his shirt. He held her closer pressing his lips to the side of her head.

She pulled back slightly and, moving her hands to the side of his face, kissed him. Her tears dampening both their cheeks. She felt him smile against her lips, a low chuckle in the back of his throat. "I think you should go," he murmured. Nilly shook her head forcefully. "I'll come by later, I promise."

Reluctantly, Nilly pulled away from him. He wiped the remaining tears off her cheek, and kissed her forehead. His eyes were looking past her though, to his brother who was rigid on top of the hill. She nodded her head once at him, understanding it was her time to leave.

She turned around and headed up the hill with her eyes down. She walked past the others with no regrets in her heavy heart.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Hey guys. So, yeah, I know that wasn't the most exciting chapter ever. It was pretty somber, but it had to happen. I hope you guys enjoyed it still. Let me know! Thank you so much and I'll see you all on Friday :)  
Favorite, Follower & Review  
RLS

_Sorry this chapter went up so late, fanfiction is being a little temperamental today and didn't feel like uploading anything._

**Get the Look:**  
Nilin:  
/chapter_28_nilin/set?id=97695635  
Elena:  
/chapter_28_elena/set?id=97695496  
Shellie:  
/chapter_28_shellie/set?id=97695759  
Magnolia:  
/chapter_28_magnolia/set?id=97695313


	44. Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Death Toll

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Death Toll**

Of the people who had come back after the funeral, there were a few still left in her house. Elena went around cleaning up little messes left around just to busy her hands. The day had been long and tiring. Elena was exhausted. She was completely zoned out as she collected discarded plastic cups and plates. Having to face another loss was unfathomable. Her heart was heavy, her eyes burned and yawn after yawn was passing through her lips. She was in mourning. Something that she's been in for too long now.  
She misses her Uncle dearly. He was the Uncle that actually cared about her. Unlike the other one, who Elena was disheartened to find out never came, the youngest of the Gilbert boys, John. He was barely in her life and the last time she had seen him was at her own parent's funeral. John was closest to her father, whereas John and Nilin's father always seemed bumped heads. Still, was that enough of a reason to skip out on your own brother's funeral? Nilly would be devastated when she realized John hadn't shone up.  
At the moment, a MIA uncle was the least of all her problems. Elena had made a massive miscalculation. She had made so many mistakes since Nilly's arrival and in a moment of desperation she felt like she might have made the biggest one yet. Nilin and Damon had gotten way too close for anyone's comfort. Now, Elena was scared to death.  
Was it the wrong move pulling Nilly out her depression by getting Stefan to use Damon? At first Elena doubted that her farfetched plan would even work, but it clearly had... with some unlikely consequences. She didn't think Damon would actually come through.  
But he had. Now Nilin was putting her trust back in him. Elena saw that clearly. What should she do now? What _could_ she do?  
She had known Damon since his return to Mystic Falls. The death toll in her town had rose increasingly those months following. He killed out of vengeance, spite, anger and even boredom. But, though Elena hated to admit it, he's seemed to have changed a little... less neck-snappy.  
That didn't stop him from killing though and he wasn't even close from turning over a new leaf. What proof did Elena have to say Damon wasn't swapping out Katherine for Nilly? There was no evidence that his scraps of feelings were sincere. It had only been a little more than a week ago when he all but threw Nilin in front of a train for Katherine, and now Elena was supposed to be okay with the two of them?  
There was so much Nilly didn't know about Damon, things Elena knew and it scared her. Shouldn't Nilly have a right to know these things, to know who she was_ kissing_?  
Elena cringed at the thought of it, then she got angry. Her teeth locked together, and her tiny hands balled up into fist. She relaxed though when she felt someone's hands on her waist. "Are you okay?" Stefan asked, his lips pressed close to her ear.  
"Yeah," she answered halfheartedly. She linked her fingers with his and turning to face him asked, "Can we talk in the kitchen?" Stefan nodded, the look on his face seemed to show that he knew where this conversation was going. They began to make their way to the kitchen doors when Elena spotted Bonnie and quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her with them.  
She didn't start talking until she made sure the doors were completely shut, even then she kept her voice low. "We have a problem," she started slowly.  
"You mean Nilly and Damon." Bonnie stated, quickly catching Elena's train of thought. "Yeah, I can't say I wasn't shocked by that whole union in the cemetery." Bonnie continued, perching on top of the kitchen counter. "When'd that happen?"  
Elena put her head down, leaning on the wall a little. "I'm not sure, I mean the last time I saw them together was the night we opened the tomb," she said.  
"For the first time in his life could he have actually listened to me?" Stefan asked, looking at Elena.  
She shrugged. "Him helping Nilin is my only guess to what happened at this point and it makes me even more worried," she responded.  
Bonnie, who had been sitting on top of the counter, slid off and walked closer to Elena. "What are you talking about?" she inquired, her eyebrow accusingly arched.  
"When this all started, Nilin went into this like semi-comatose state. She wouldn't talk to anyone. She wouldn't let anyone close to her. We were worried." Elena explained. "So, I thought that if Stefan could plant it in Damon's head that Nilly was hurting he'd either do one of two things. Stay far away from her or talk her out of it."  
"And by the looks of it, he went for the latter." Bonnie shook her head.  
"Which is completely shocking," Stefan added. "When I went to go talk to him he was in his own catatonic state over Katherine."  
"So you thought this could help Nilin?" Bonnie asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "And now she's practically lip-locking with the Satan himself?" Bonnie questioned.  
"First, I didn't even think he would go for it and second, I didn't realize they'd get all buddy-buddy." Elena defended. "I was kind of hoping he'd just piss her off and she'd snap out of it."  
"Elena-" Bonnie went to yell at her.  
"It was a last ditch effort, Bonnie," Elena cut her off and tired to explain. "You didn't see Nilin, you didn't see how bad she'd gotten."

"Well, what happen happened and now you have to deal with the consequences." Bonnie told her.  
"I don't trust him," Stefan confessed. "I don't trust him with her and I don't trust that he's not using her." He was standing by the island, his arms crossed over his chest. The look on his face made Elena's stomach drop.  
"I don't trust him anymore than you do. Probably less, since I have no blood relation to him., but don't you think that maybe Nilly knows what she's doing? Maybe she's aware of what she's getting herself into." Bonnie said. "I mean, she's surprised us all on several occasions already. Don't get me wrong, I don't like this one bit, but I feel like maybe its more damaging if we get involved."  
"I get what you're saying," Elena agreed. "It makes sense and I'd love to keep my nose out of this but there are things we know about Damon, things that he's done. And I'm a hundred percent positive he'll never tell Nilin about."  
"Things she should know," Stefan added.  
"But the question you have to asked yourself Elena, is if its our place to tell her those things?" Bonnie questioned. They were quiet for a moment, then Elena spoke.  
"I don't know," she said. Which was completely true. She could not tell Nilin and hope for the best or she could tell her and hope that Nilin would stay far away from Damon. "What should I do?  
"I think, maybe you're right Elena," Bonnie realized. "Maybe it is our place to tell her, that's what friends do. What we know could be possibly dangerous. What if we don't tell her and something happens?"  
"Bonnie's got a point," Stefan agreed.  
"How do I tell Nilly something like that, though?" she asked heartbroken.  
"Tell me what?" Nilin's voice said. Everyone jumped, spinning to see Nilin's head peeking out of the door as she stared at them confusingly. She opened the door more and stepped into the kitchen, crossing her arms as the doors swung shut behind her.  
"Nothing," Elena said quickly. "Just forget it, it's been a long day," she tried to doge the question, but Nilin wasn't having it.

Her eyebrow arched as she looked around the room. "Nuh-uh, spill. No more secrets, between any of us. It always ends badly." Nilly narrowed her eyes.  
Bonnie sighed. "Just tell her."  
"We're worried about you, Nilly." Stefan said softly. "None of us trust Damon, especially when he's with you."  
Elena thought she saw Nilly almost smirk as she looked down. "So that's what it's about?" she nodded, eyes on the floor.  
"He's not a good person, Nil. He kills people, he's murdered innocent people." Elena pushed.  
Nilly looked up at her. "Not pointing fingers here, but Stefan hasn't? Not once in his existence?" she questioned rhetorically.  
Elena shook her head. "That's not the point," she started. "Stefan's different, he's changed. Damon refuses to change for anyone. That makes him dangerous."  
"But that's exactly the point." Nilly said, throwing her hands up. "Why is it okay for Stefan to be around you, but Damon can't even look in my direction without you guys making a deal over it?"  
"Because Stefan's never forced blood down my throat." Elena snapped, her teeth clenching. The room grew silent, Nilly's eyes glared at her.  
"I forgave him for that," she said slowly.  
"Are you going to forgive him the next time he pulls something like that?" Bonnie asked and Nilly turned towards her.  
"He won't," she answered calmly.  
"How can you be so sure, Nilin?" Elena asked, throwing her hands in the air out of frustration.  
"I can't be completely sure but I think it's about time I put a little faith in something for once." Nilly told them. "What else do I have to lose?" she shrugged.  
"Damon has done things to girls that thought he cared about them," Stefan said, stepping closer to Nilly. "When I first came back to Mystic Falls I can't tell you the number of animal attacks that were in the news," he continued and Elena let out a shiver at the memory. "Innocent people with their throats ripped out. He killed our own nephew, Nilly."  
Her eyes widen in shock. "What?"  
Elena had almost forgotten about Stefan's 'Uncle' Zach, that had ran the boarding house before the brothers' return. Really he wasn't Stefan's uncle, it was more like great-great-great nephew, but 'uncle' was more believable. Either way, he was a Salvatore, and either way, Damon had killed him.  
"It was my fault really," Stefan continued to explain. "I got him angry and he snapped Zach's neck." Stefan shook his head, looking down at the ground. Nilly's expression seemed to soften, her shoulders sagged a little though she still stood with her arms locked.  
"I told you he was dangerous," Elena spoke quietly. "He used to feed on Caroline, then he'd make her forget. He was treating her like Christian had been treating you."  
Suddenly Nilin was rigid again, her head was shaking back and forth furiously. "No, no. You are not allowed to say that. You have no idea what you are talking about Elena, and right now you are treading dangerous grounds." Nilin nearly growled. "You don't know what Christian did to me," she glared at them. They were all taken back by her out lash, the room grew quiet. "I'm done with this," Nilin mumbled, turning to the door.

Then Elena blurted out, "He turned Vicki into a vampire."  
She saw Nilly freeze, and she turned back around. Her eyes widened in horror. "Vicki? Vicki's a vampire? Where is she?" Nilly asked, walking closer to Elena. Her hands went to her trembling lips as she stuttered out questions.  
"Dead," Stefan answered. Nilly's wide eyes began to water, as she looked between the three of them with confusion. "She tried to attack Jeremy and I had to stake her," he explained. Nilly's mouth dropped in shock as she stumbled back a little.  
"Matt thinks she's a live though," she mumbled. "Everyone does, they think she just ran off."  
"We had to cover it up, Nilly." Stefan said.

She shook her head and was quiet for a moment. With her head down, Elena could see the tears gathering in the corner of Nilin's eyes.  
"You guys have the shitiest timing, you know that." Nilly said with a strained voice. "I can't handle this right now. Don't you realize that I had to bury my father today, he's dead. And I can't- I can't do this!" she yelled, running her hands through her hair. "I'm done making right choices! Ignoring my heart and thinking with my head. That's all I've done and look where I ended up." Her eyes shot up to Elena's. "Why are you allow to be happy and I'm not?"  
"Nilly-" Elena went to say, reaching her arm out.

Nilly stepped back continuing to shake her head. "I know you're all worried about me and trying to protect me, but stop. I need you to stop. I'm not this ignorant little girl running around a town full of supernatural creatures. I might not be okay, I might get hurt but it's going to _my_ decisions that lead me there. Not yours, and the blame will be on me, not you."  
She looked up at all of them, pressing her lips tightly together and turned around, storming out of the kitchen. They stood there for a moment, silence emanating through the room. There eyes on the spot where Nilin had been standing.  
"Well, that went well," said an all too familiar cocky voice. Elena turned to find Damon on the other side of the kitchen, lounging on one of the window sills.  
"How long have you been listening?" Stefan questioned, his voice cold.  
"Long enough, brother," he answered with a dark smirk. "It's nice to see how easily I'm ratted out."  
"She needed to know what kind of monster you are, Damon." Bonnie said, crossing her slight arms over her chest.  
Damon laughed, taking a step towards her. "Careful witch," he spat. "Make sure your batteries are all charged up before you try to take on a battle with me."  
Bonnie never broke eye contact with him, but she did take a step back. "I going to find Nilin," she told everyone before heading out of the kitchen too.  
Damon's smirk grew as he watched Bonnie retreat. Then he turned to Elena and Stefan. "I have to say, I'm slightly shocked by darling Nilin's reaction. Didn't expect her to be so… accepting." Damon smiled coldly with a tone of humor in his voice.  
"Leave her be, Damon. She'd been through enough today." Stefan warned, his hands turning in to fist.  
"But wasn't it _you_, baby brother, who suggested I talk to her? Or was that just another of your scheming plans to deceive me?" Damon's eyes narrowed. "I have to say, you two have turned into a real Bonnie and Clyde, haven't you?" he joked. "So, I think I'm going to head upstairs and explain myself to Nilly," he grinned, swiping past them.  
Elena watched as Stefan hand shot out and gripped Damon's arm. "You're not going anywhere near her," he hissed. Damon's grin disappeared. Elena watched in horror as he grabbed Stefan's hand and bent it unnaturally back with a stomach turning crack. A grunt of pain came from Stefan's clenched teeth.  
"It seems like you've left me no other choice, I wouldn't want Nilin to think poorly of me now. But who knows what else will happen up in her bedroom, nothing new I expect." Damon taunted, releasing Stefan's hand and leaving the kitchen.  
Stefan and Elena were left alone, exchanging alarmed glances and unsure of what to do next.

* * *

Nilin sat on her window sill, both legs dangling outside over the edge. Her music pulsed loudly, she didn't care. She needed an escape from everything going on downstairs. Just for a few, numbing minutes. She welcomed the loud thumping of the music, it allowed her to retreat for a little. She sang along to it, matching the pitches.  
_"I've put my trust in you _  
_Pushed as far as I can go _  
_For all this _  
_There's only one thing you should know."_  
She felt almost tipsy hanging out her window, the ground easily fifteen feet below her. She'd just have to let go and lean forward slightly, then she'd be free falling. The though made her body hum with adrenaline, but she didn't of course. Instead she leaned her head on the frame and swung her feet, her heels hitting the siding of the house thumped to the beat.  
_"I tried so hard _  
_And got so far _  
_But in the end _  
_It doesn't even matter _  
_I had to fall _  
_To lose it all _  
_But in the end _  
_It doesn't even matter,"_ she continued to sing. If the song hadn't faded out with the repeated rhythm Nilin might not have caught the light click of her door opening and shutting again. Not that she needed to hear it to know who was now standing in her room, she could feel the chord in her chest pull.  
"Do you feel that too?" Nilly question quietly, making no indication to turn around. She knew he'd hear her.  
"Feel what?" Damon asked, coming up and leaning on the wall next to her window.  
Nilly shrugged. "Never mind," she said.  
"You're not going to jump are you?" he asked jokingly.  
She gave another indifferent shrug. "I was thinking about it," she answered, no humor in her tone. She thought for a minute. "Would you have stopped me?" she pondered.  
Damon 'hmm'ed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Nope," he responded. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I'd catch you at the bottom though," he continued, giving her a wink.  
She looked at the ground below her, feeling the faint warmth of blush on her cheeks. She swung her legs around, her bare feet landing on the bedroom floor. She looked up at him, her face expressionless.  
"You heard that conversation, didn't you?" she asked quietly. He nodded as he moved to sit on her bed. "Would you have told me any of those things?"  
"I've never pretended to be something I'm not, Nilin. So, if you asked," he shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess I would."  
Nilin sighed and rubbed her eyes. She was too tired for this game of 20 questions.  
"Why Caroline?" she asked in the same hushed tone. He starred at her for at first before reaching his hand out and wrapping it around her wrist. In one movement he pulled her into his lap. She stiffened for a moment at the shock of his speed, but then nestled her head in the crook of his neck.  
"I needed something, for one thing. She helped me get the crystal I needed for the tomb. Plus I needed eyes and ears over Mystic Falls and, from what I had gathered, she was the best at knowing everyone's business."  
Nilly was quiet for a moment, lost in the feeling of his hand running up and down her back. "And Zach, your family member?"  
"He had it coming to him," Damon explained. "He and Stefan thought it'd be a fun idea to poison me with vervain and lock me in a cellar." Nilly shivered a little, wondering what Damon could have done to push Stefan to do such a thing. "Though I probably deserved that one," he continued. "I wasn't very nice back then."  
"Back then?" she questioned, peeking up at hiim.  
"Hey, compared to that, I'm a saint now," he joked. Nilly smiled for a second but then something dawned on her. "Were you the one who killed Stefan's friend? Lexi, I think her name was?"  
Damon froze, his hand stilled on the small of her back. "How do you-?"  
"Stefan told me a while ago when they first found out I knew about vampires," she answered his question.  
"Yes, I was," was all he answered.  
Nilly tipped her head back to look up at him. "Why?" she pushed.  
"I had to cover my tracks," he answered. "The Founder's Council was getting suspicious, plus it made me look good." He seemed to relax a bit more when Nilly looked back down and nodded. "I needed to gain the Council's trust," he continued.  
Nilly was fully aware of the Founder's Council and their job. It was run by Mayor Lockwood and Sheriff Forbs. They were raised to hate vampire and protect the town. It was entwined in their DNA.  
"Best way to know their plans is to be one of them," Nilly stated.  
"Exactly." Damon chuckled.  
Nilly grew quite. Her head rested on his chest and her legs dangled from his lap. She knew very well that she shouldn't be this close and this vulnerable to him. Logically, she should be putting as much distance from him as possible. But any and all logic flew out the door when it came to him and her. Finally she spoke.  
"And Vicki?" she asked quietly.  
Damon let out a low breath tingling the top of Nilly's head. "I was angry, Stefan needed a reminder on who was the older brother," he said. "In my defense, I was starving. It happened after my brother locked me up for a few days with the intention of never letting me out. I though I drained her, but I was wrong."  
"Vicki was always stubborn, that's why we got along with each other. One never let the other back down." Nilly said softly.  
She felt Damon cringe. "You knew her," he said more of a statement than a question.  
"Closest thing to a best friend after my mom died," Nilly explained. "We grew distant right before I left though. She just couldn't seem keep herself out of trouble and I didn't want to be involved with that."  
Damon was quite as he tried to read Nilly. She sat up so they were eye level. His gaze staid on her. "I'm an implosive person," he said with a crooked smile, but then it disappeared. "What I did to Vicki was wrong though."  
"It was," Nilin said. "You've done a lot of things wrong, Damon. I've lost count. You've made even more mistakes," she continued and she saw his eyes narrow at her. "But the other night you swore you'd do right by me. I going to believe that."  
He stared at her, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "When did you decide that I mattered?" he asked softly.  
"Around the same time you decided that I did." Nilly answered, her voice just as light. She was feeling a little blurry with Damon's closeness, he had such an effect on her. He leaned in slowly, kissing her so lightly goosebumps raised on her arms.  
Before he could deepen the kiss, she pulled away. She was going to keep him at arms length for a while. Just to play it somewhat safe. He seemed to understand that, and gave her a small genuine smile.  
"I need to go back downstairs to hear how much my Dad meant to total strangers," she murmured.  
"Oh, that sounds fun," Damon smirked.  
"Want to come?" she asked, biting her lip. And with that Damon stood up, carrying her bridal-style to her door. She thrashed around, playfully banging on his chest.  
"Put me down." Nilin squealed. He continued to grin down at her, ignoring her struggles. In one swoop he opened her door and placed her feet. She rolled her eyes at him, something resembling a smile played at the edge of her lips as the two of them made their way out of the room.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
So, I thought I had updated on Friday like I was suppose to. But it came to my attention this morning that this chapter never posted. I don't know if it's because the website or because of my laptop, because both of them have been acting really sketchy recently. Either way, I am so sorry! This was ready to go up Friday, but now its Sunday. My apologizes! :(  
Here it is though, thank you for the patience and new reviews, follows and favorites.  
_**YOU GUYS ARE SO AMAZING!**_

I'll see you all on Monday3  
**Favorite, Follow & Review**  
RLS

**Featured Songs:**

In the End by Linkin Park


	45. Chapter Thirty: The Decision

**Chapter Thirty: The Decision**

Nilin took the steps downstairs slowly. She could hear the buzz of other voices and dreaded actually having to talk to them. She just wanted to curl up and go to sleep. With the thought of that, a yawn forced its way past her lips. She caught Damon starring at her from the corner of her eye and redness flushed over her cheeks as she went into the family room.

Jenna, Alaric and Mildred stood with a group of people. It looked like Carol Forbes, the sheriff and Caroline's mother, Piper Denison, owner of Mystic Grill also one of Jenna's friends and Ryan Shades, a lawyer that had worked with Nilly's father.

Damon walked ahead of her, shaking Alaric's hand, both strangely eyeing each other. He took Jenna and, bowing his head, kissed the top of it, murmuring condolences to all of them. Nilly came up to Mildred and hugged her.  
"Hey, peaches," she said while squeezing Nilly. She nodded an acknowledgement to the Sheriff and Piper and got a bone crushing bear hug from an obviously tipsy Mr. Shades. They talked, well everyone but Nilly talked. She watched Damon the whole time as he easily made conversation. When he wasn't talking, his eyes flashed over to Nilly, a quick smile coming to his lips.

Just then someone came up behind her and grabbed her shoulder. She turned to find Elena behind her, glaring at Damon. She whispered in Nilly's ear, "Can I talk to you?" Nilly turned back to the group and excused herself following Elena out the front door and on to the porch.

Nilly rolled her eyes when she saw Stefan and Bonnie sitting out there. Not again. "Really?" she scoffed as Elena closed the door and went to stand by Stefan. "What else is there to tell me? Hmm?"

Bonnie stepped forwards from the railing she was leaning on. "I'm just heading out and wanted to say goodbye," she explained coming over and hugging Nilly. "I'm sorry you've had to lose so much and even though I don't trust Damon one bit, I trust you." Bonnie said, her dark arms wrapping around Nilin.

Nilly gave a sad smile and nodded. "Thank you, Bonnie," was all she said. Bonnie squeezed Nilly's hand before stepping down the porch and making her way to her car.

Nilly turned back to Stefan and Elena, knowing that they hand no intention of leaving. "Just hear us out." Elena started. Nilly sighed and boosted herself up on top of the railing. She raised her eyebrows at them and motioned for them to continue. Stefan came over with his head down.  
He looked up at her and said, "I'm sorry if our intentions earlier appeared to be for the wrong reasons. I want you to understand we're just trying to stop history from repeating itself."

"I get that you're trying to help me, I do. And I'm not even angry that you told me those things, though I wish that you'd given Damon the chance to tell me himself, but this is my life." Nilly pushed.

"Nilly, you haven't known him as long as I have." Elena said, coming over by Stefan.

"You're right, I haven't," was her only reply.

"So shouldn't you take our word over his? _My_ word over his?" Elena asked accusingly.

Nilin slid off the banister. "I never doubted you're word. I never said you were wrong about him, Elena."

"Then why can't you see that he's dangerous?" she nearly shouted.

"He is dangerous!" Nilin yelled. "Given anyone the chance and they are dangerous, but I'm taking that risk Elena and you can't stop me." Nilly told her. "There's something about him that I just can't shake and I'm asking you two that if you really care about me you need to trust me," she continued softly.

"You can't be serious Nilin! You look like Katherine, he's in love with Katherine! Can't you see what he's doing?" Elena shouted.

Nilly crossed her arms and calmly replied, "You look like Katherine, Stefan loved her."

"Key word is '_loved_'. ED, past tense." Elena said. Nilly shook her head, walking to the other side of the porch, taking a spot between the front door and kitchen window.

"See Nilly, the difference is I realized a long time ago Katherine's love was compelled. It was never true and I've tried on several occasions to get my brother to see that." Stefan spoke up. "But he thinks it was real, he doesn't realize how manipulative Katherine was."

Nilly scoffed, "I think he realizes it now. I mean she deceived you all by making you think she was in that tomb for a hundred plus years."

Elena was shaking her head at Nilly, her eyes glaring. This wasn't happening, today of all days they were not arguing over this. "Elena, please. It's been a long day and I can't be fighting you on this. This is something you need to trust me on."

"Say I trust, then what?" she asked. "How long do I wait for your body to show up in a morgue. Or worse, you end up like one of them?"

Nilin was taken back by the venom in her sister's voice. Any other day her stubborn nature would take over and she'd stand toe and toe with Elena, but instead she decided to take the coward's way out and surrender.

She shook her head and went to turn to open the front door. Before she could grabbed the door knob it swung open, revealing a bored looking Damon. Nilly stepped back in surprise as he stepped out on to the porch. So much for retreating.

"Sorry to interrupt your little pow-wow, I was just leaving. Is this evening's topic still about me?" he smirked, standing in front of his brother.

"Not everything's about you Damon." Elena sneered.

Nilly created some distance between herself and the rest of them by wandering back to the railing. Comfortably leaning on it, she watched as Stefan and Damon sized each other up.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then." Damon retorted. He brushed passed Stefan, clipping him in the shoulder roughly and took up the same position as Nilly, only on the other side of the steps. "You know I'm getting really tired of your sneakiness, little brother," he continued, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Maybe I wouldn't have to be sneaky if you just listened the first time I told you to leave Nilly and Elena alone." Stefan shot back, turning to face his brother again.

Damon grinned, "And what fun would that have been?"

Nilly was slightly frightened by the look that came over Stefan's face. His usually passive features were murderous. "Why don't you just admit it Damon, Katherine doesn't want you. She left you in the dust like countless others, so you're going for her double." Stefan pushed.

Nilin's eyes widened. She was slightly offended. She looked down quickly wrapping her arms around herself. Was that really what the brothers thought of her?

"You'd love it if I did, wouldn't you?" Damon sneered. "You'd love to see me screw up."

Stefan took a step towards Damon, who matched it with one of his own. "You can play this little game of pretend all you want, Damon." Stefan said. "She'll see through your phoniness eventually, and then you'll be all by yourself again. She'll leave you just like Katherine did."

Nilly saw a very disturbing twinkle in Damon's eyes as his shoulder tensed. Without thinking, she stepped in between the two seething vampires. Placing a hand on each of their chest, she used all her strength to push them back. It was useless. They didn't budge, but both of their venomous stares broke to look down at her.

"Stop!" she yelled. "This isn't fair to me." Nilly looked between the two of them. "There was a funeral today, for god sake. I can't be worried about this right now! God, you're making me feel like Katherine too!" She shouted, pushing them harder. Neither moved, they were looking down at her.  
"I have a house in my name I need to deal with in another town, filled with a ton of my dad's crap. I have to figure out what to do with his car, his bills. I need to find a job and a place to live now. I need to finish freakin' High School before I can think of anything else. I can't do this right now." Nilly breathed out, feeling slightly woozy. Final Damon and Stefan backed up, allowing Nilly to drop her hands. They hung stiff at her side.

"This isn't fair to me," she said again. They were all quiet, three pairs of eyes on her. Finally Nilly felt that last brick crumple as her shoulder slumped. She was too tired to keep the blank wall up, it was too much to fight the numbness anymore. "Please, just stop all of this," she begged.

No one answered her. Damon took a step back though, his eyes watching her closely before he turned his back and hopped down the steps without saying a word. He stopped and looked back at her for a moment, a grin on his face. "Want to come?" he repeated Nilin's words from before. She gave him a sad lop-sided smile.

"She's not going anywhere with you," Elena said, finding her voice again.

Nilin turned back to her. "Elena," she said softly.

"If you go with him, how do I know you'll come back?" she asked, her voice breaking and eyes starting to water.

Nilin crossed the distance between her and her sister. She wrapped her arms around Elena. "You have to trust me," she repeated again. The she stepped back from her.

Elena's face was set, the only emotion were in her wet eyes. "Don't go with him, Nil."

Nilin didn't say anything, she stepped down the stairs. As she walked to Damon, Nilin looked back over her shoulder at Elena, who was watching her. Too many emotions flashed on her face to let Nilly know how she was feeling. Stefan had his eyes burning into Damon and with one last glance Nilly swallowed hard and followed Damon to his Camaro.

* * *

He watched her from the corner of his eye, feeling as if he'd just won a battle. Nilin sat in his passenger seat, pulling at her dress. He watched with a perplexed adornment. There was something about her that affected him and Damon couldn't figure out what. It was slightly unnerving, but what could he say, she was addictive.

From all the events that had unfolded, Damon would be lying if he said he wasn't shocked she was willingly leaving with him. He couldn't help but become a little smug... and paranoid.

Nilly rested back in the seat as she flopped her head towards him. "So where are we going?" she asked.

He grinned as he drove through the night. Oh, she was so innocent. "Where would you like to go, Miss Daisy?" he posed, lifting his eyebrow.

Nilin rolled her eyes at him and his reference. She couldn't answer though because her lips were preoccupied by the yawn that went through them. He started to laugh.

"Don't laugh at my exhaustion," she told him, gently rubbing her eyes.

He just shook his head, a smile still on his lips. "To the boarding house it is," Damon grinned. "For some much needed sleep," he winked at her. Again, Nilin rolled her eyes at him before leaning her head back on the seat, exposing her bare neck.

Damon ripped his eyes away from her creamy skin when he felt the pain in his gums. He swallowed hard, trying to focus on the road again. He realized he was gripping the steering wheel dangerously tight and loosed his knuckles. He forced a breath out between his clenched teeth before he was fully in control again.  
He looked back over to Nilin to find that her eyes were shut. Focusing his hearing, he listened to her slow even breathing. She had dozed off. He grinned at the sleeping human.

Not only did he manage to infuriate his brother today, but it seemed like his ally returned to his side. Though Stefan's words bothered him, and he knew they bothered Nilin too, but was there a truth to what Stefan said? Nilin kept Damon entertained, but there was a frightening realization that she was more than a playmate.

His smirk dropped with that thought as he pulled into the long dark driveway.

Damon parked his car and in one swift movement he was on the other side of car, lifting Nilin out. Instinctively her slender arms wrapped around his neck and she curled herself closer to him. He carried her effortlessly in the house and upstairs to the study. When he placed her on the long couch, her head rolled to one side and she mumbled something. He brushed her bangs out of her face and saw a small smile come to her lips. He hadn't seen that in a long time.

Damon's dead heart lurched forward and a desire to kiss those lips came over him, almost pulling him down towards her. He backed up, shaking his head and draped a blanket on top of her.

For the first time in a long time, Damon was dumbfounded. He didn't know what to do. Nilin was peacefully slumbering on a couch in his house, a human. A mere human whose presence alone caused things to surface that Damon has been burying for decades.

The vampire inside of him was whispering in his ear, telling him that it was perfect timing to take what he truly wanted. It urged him to give into his instincts. The human was small, powerless. It would take less than a minute to finish her off.

Damon fought the demon back though. The problem with having Nilin around was not only did she bring out his human side, but she also amplified his vampire side as well.

He looked down at Nilin. Her chocolate brown hair was to one side, showing her sharp cheekbones. Her delicate nose twitched slightly, along with her shuttering eyelids as she dreamed. He saw the faintest trace of color in her cheeks, and an image of her blushing passed through his head.

The weak human in him found it adorable, the demon thought of the blood rushing to her cheeks. He swallowed hard, feeling an ache in his throat that forced him out of the room and into the hallway.

Maybe he should have left her with Elena and his brother. Maybe they were right about him... Of course they were right about him. Damon was a monster, he was viscous and unpredictable. Nilin had seen that of him on several occasions, yet there she laid, trusting him completely.

Damon raked his fingers through his dark hair. Then he heard him name being sighed. He looked back into the study. Nilin was still out, but her lips were moiving. "Damon," she huffed again. If it wasn't for his vampire hearing he might not have picked up on the syllables. A smirk came to him lips, satisfied that he infected her dreams.

He could handle her. He was strong enough. With a sigh, Damon carefully lifted Nilin's legs, sat down and placed them back in his lap. She continued to sleep but her movements were getting restless. She let out a low breath as a smile came to her face.

"Creepy…" she mumbled, her eyes half way open. He arched an eyebrow at her as she slid up, leaning her back on the arm rest. "You were watching me sleep." Nilin smiled, tiredly rubbing her eyes.

"You talk in your sleep," he shot back and instantly blood flowed to her cheeks in a blush.

Nilin looked down. "Bad habit," she grumbled.

He smirked at her, catching her eye. "It was cute."

More blush. Nilin stretched meekly. "Sorry about that. I swear I'm usually better company. I wasn't out for to long, was I?" she asked.

He shook his head."I kept myself entertained, you had a long day." Damon said, propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.

Nilin kept her feet in his lap, snuggling back down a little bit. "Long day is an understatement," she scoffed. "Feels like I've had a year of long days." She put her head back, closing her eyes with sigh.

She was quiet for a second and Damon thought she'd fallen asleep again, but suddenly her stomach growled loudly. Her eyes shot open with embarrassment, knowing he had heard it.

"Hungry?" he inquired. Nilin rolled her eyes yet again and nodded her head. He grinned at her, untangling her legs and standing up. He held out his hand and she took it, following him downstairs to the massive kitchen. He sat her down on one of the wooden stools and turned to the fridge.

It was mostly barren. Stefan usually kept it some what stocked for Elena, but it seemed like he was skimping out on his boyfriend duties.  
"I can offer you a beer and a grill cheese... possibly," he told her as he scavenged the fridge for butter.

"Whoa, don't spoil me now," Nilin replied sarcastically.

Damon looked over his shoulder and eyed her. "Wise ass," he said, pulling out the ingredients need for her meal.

She smiled at him and took a sip of the beer he had slid to her. "I think you like me better when I'm drunk," she retorted.

"I can say the same thing about you, sweetheart," he laughed. A genuine smile came over her face and Damon felt something in his chest. Ignoring the foreign feelings he turned his focus on making her dinner.

What is with this girl and making him feel? It was wrong what she was doing to him. Feeling was greatly overrated, at least it was in his case.

She was quiet while she downed her beer. A few minutes later he placed probably the best grilled cheese sandwich she would ever taste in front of her. Nilin dug in to it instantly.

Damon was content with just watching her. She tried to keep her eyes on everything but him, but he caught her quick glances in his direction. It made a grin come to his lips. She slid the empty plate away from her a little and looked up at him. "Thank you," she said, placing her hands in her lap.

"Anytime," he winked. Suddenly he noticed her expression change. She was quiet for a moment, looking down at her entwined hands.

"Just tell me already," she said bluntly.

He cocked his head to the side, unsure of what she was talking about. "Tell you what?"

Nilin ran her fingers through her hair before answering. "This thing, between us," she started slowly. "Is it more than just hurting Stefan?" Damon started at her, almost shell shocked. "Is it more than just screwing with Katherine's double?" she asked. He recognized Stefan's words from earlier in the night. "Or am I just blind?"

Damon's face contorted into some look of shocked disgust at her theory of his motivations. "Do you really think that low of me?" he asked.

Nilin shook her head. "No, no," she said. "I'm just trying to understand all this."

"All what?" he pushed.

"You like me, then you don't. I can trust you, then I can't. You're on my side, then you're not. You have this sweet protective side and then suddenly you're moments away from ripping my head off," she explained. "You have a very bipolar way of doing things and it gives me whiplash."

"Perks of being a vampire," he smirked humorously.

"Damon, I'm just trying to protect myself." Nilin told him.

"My brother's words got to you." Damon stated. Nilin looked down, no response. "Well if you're really that suade by what someone says-"

"No, that's not what I meant." Nilin cut him off.

"Then what did you mean?" He posed. "Hmm? Having second thoughts?" He saw Nilin stare up at him with disbelief.

"No, I'm trying to figure out why you always rescue me!" she nearly shouted.

Damon was taken back, he tried to hold her stare but her eyes dropped to her lap. "Why?' he asked with his own look of incredulity.

"Never mind," she flustered. "Forget it, I should go." Nilin mumbled, as she hopped off the stool and attempted to leave the room. It only took three seconds for Damon to flash in front of her and back her into the counter. He heard her gasp, shocked at his speed.

"What do you want from me Nilin?" he hissed, his face dangerously close to hers.

She bravely tilted her head up to him. "I just want to know why," she answered slowly.

Damon pressed against her more, forcing her back to arch against him and her head to remain tilted. "You want to know what you did?" he glared at her, feeling the humanity fight its way to the surface. "You don't back down from you. You infuriate me to no end, its like I'm constantly fight with you over something." Damon told her. "But I realized I like that about you. You've never assumed the worse of me, all though you really should. You're the only person that's ever cared for me," Damon answered. "That wasn't obligated to," he added thinking of a his brother.

Nilin's eyes softened at his words. She remained motionless against him, her hands absently placed on his chest. He looked down at her, frozen in her blue eye. He leaned forward, placing his lips near her ear. He felt her body stiffen in the thought that he was going to kiss her. But he didn't.

"Because… You poke and prod at the shrapnel of humanity that's buried in me." Damon confessed against her cheek. He couldn't look her in the eye as he gave her his last reason. Her eyes were his weakness. God, such a fucking sap, he thought bitterly.

There was a moment of hesitation, Nilin was still ridged against him. He didn't know if it was from his closeness or his reasoning, or a combination of both. He pulled back slightly, giving enough room to look her in the eyes.

He noticed her quivering lips, and the fact that her hands, that were laying flat on his chest, now gripped his shirt. Then Nilin surprised him by forcefully pushing her lips to his.

After his initial shock wore off he kissed her back just as forceful. They were battling for dominance. Lifting her up to place her on the counter, he slid between her legs, hungrily kissing her. Her fingers intertwined with his hair, pulling him in closer to her. His hands ran up and down her bare thighs, enjoying the shudder he got from her the farther they went under her dress.  
He could feel it all. The last few weeks of built up emotion, frustration and craving between them. Damon's done more kissing in a life time than most, but this was something else.

She pulled back slightly. "I believe you," she said breathlessly. He looked up into her crystal eyes and was captivated. Who ever said human's couldn't compel was lying, she had him under her spell. She leaned down and started kissing him again, bringing her hands to cup his face.

This night didn't go exactly as he thought. Scratch that, his entire existence hasn't gone the way he's planned. But this was definitely an upside to that.  
Almost teasingly Damon asked, "Why?" against her lips.

She stopped, detaching herself from him. "Why what?" she questioned almost nervously.

He tried to fight his grin, because he was honestly curious. "Why do you trust me?" He continued. "You did save my life once upon a time and tonight you even stupidly stop me from beating the living daylights out of Stefan. So why?" he asked again.

Nilin leaned back a little, taking in his expression. Her lips were red and slightly swollen from his attack. Her hair framed her flushed face in curls and her chest rose and fell sharply against him. She was the most captivating creature he'd ever seen.

"You would think I wouldn't make the same mistake twice," she started slowly. "Falling for one of your kind. I must be a real idiot, but you crawled your way under my skin," she told him. "And I can't get you out. For the past few years I've had this gaping hole in my chest, but you've come the closest to filling it."

He continued to stare at her, her words sinking in and hitting him. So he put the life back in her and she did the same to him. Even though it was cheesy as hell, it was true. This was ridiculous the way she made him feel. Since when did he open his lifeless heart up to humans?

"You're like a high Damon, and I'm hooked." Nilin finished, her hands sliding to the back of his neck. Her slight fingers traced patterns there. He gripped the small of her back and pulled her closer to him, crushing their bodies together.

Damon ran his hands up her sides, placing them on her warm cheeks and guiding her head down to him. He kissed her again, relishing in the taste of her. He slid his hands to her shoulders and down the inside of her arms to her wrists that where locked behind his neck, when he felt something.

He ran his hands back up her arms, and felt her shiver in delight against him, but he wasn't focused on that. The pads of his fingers were brushing against her inner arm, feeling her usually flawless skin become bumpy the closer he got to her wrist.

As if realizing what he was doing, Nilin quickly pulled back. Dropping her arms from his neck, she crossed them in front of her. She wasn't looking at him, as Damon tried to pry one of her arms away. She stubbornly wouldn't let him.

"Nilin," he said sternly. She didn't give him her arm but she did look up. "Let me see," he continued slowly. Biting her lip, he saw tears spring to her eyes as she shook her head. Damon tired his best to soften his features but his jaw was locked. There was something wrong here and he needed to see it before he could believe it.

He looked up at Nilin, who still sat on the counter and placed his hand on her cheek once more, wiping the tears that had escaped away with his thumb. He laid his other hand on the arm he was trying to dislodge from her. Unwillingly, Nilin slowly unhooked her arms. Keeping them stiff, she held them, palm up between him and her.

He looked down at the inside of her arm, turning it slightly. He ran his index finger over the pale scars on her arm. Scattered, most were in a half crescent shape, others more torn. They were barley detectable, he was surprised she was able to hide them from him for this long. He looked over her other arm, the same looking scars blemished it too.

He could feel the anger, rising in him.

"My skin has a reaction to the bites, they don't heal right." Nilly whispered, leaning her head on his. "They're just scars, Damon."

Damon knew why they healed that way, the bastard never finished feeding properly. He just left her to bleed, and bites would close like this. He wondered how many silver scars littered her body.

"Ow, Damon, you're hurting me." Nilin whimpered.

He immediately loosened his grip on her wrist, not realizing he had been squeezing so tight. He looked up at her, she had tears in her eyes. "He won't touch you again, understand?" he said, his voice sharp. "I'll rip his throat out before he gets the chance."

Nilin nodded her head, sniffling a little. Gently he picked her off the counter and placed her on the floor. Immediately her arms went around him. "Thank you, Damon," she said, muffled against his chest.

Damon rested his chin on top of her head and held her tighter to him.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Happy Monday! lol, no. I hate Mondays, but I do like updating. So here you go, Chapter 30! Yes I said it, 30! Isn't that crazy?! Only 20 left to go! I hope you guys had a fabulous weekend. Here's a little something to entertain you for the week. Tell me how I did.  
_**Favorite Follow & Review!**_

See you Friday!  
RLS


	46. Chapter Thirty-One: The Rebuttal- Part 1

**Chapter Thirty-One: The Rebuttal- Part 1**

Nilin stretched, curling her toes under the sheets. The sunlight coming through the window was hurting her eyes. What time was it? Where was she anyway? Nilly propped herself up on an elbow and looked around the bright yellow room. Yup, she was in her room. How'd she get back home? She sat up more, resting her back on the head board. Then she realized what she was wearing. She still had her funeral get up on, but around that was a black leather jacket… Damon…

Now it all made sense, she must have fallen asleep at the boarding house again and he, and his mystical vampire ways, took her home. Frowning, she wondered if Damon had stayed with her. As she pushed the sheets off the bed, Nilin realized that she didn't have any nightmares. So this is what a good night sleep felt like.

Nilly got up sluggishly and scurried out of Damon's jacket, placing it on top of the bed. Then she slid off her stockings and shimmied out of her dress as she made her way to the bathroom. Turning the water on scolding she washed off her smeared makeup and cleaned her hair, adding generous amounts of conditioner to the snagged curls.

When she was done she let her hair fall natural on her shoulder, already curling itself. She threw on a pair of black denim shorts and a flowing pink cropped top. Then, she went downstairs apprehensively, taking the steps slowly. When she got down there she found everyone in the dinning room. Mildred, Jenna, Elena and Jer, all sitting and eating what smelt like French toast.

Mildred saw Nilly first, she smiled at her. "Good morning, peaches," she chimed. "We didn't want to wake you, your plate is in the kitchen."

Nilin nodded and went through the double doors of the kitchen to find a warm stack of French toast covered in powered sugar. Nilly was practically salivating. She went back into the dinning room taking the empty seat next to Jeremy and in front of Jenna. Elena didn't say a word, she kept her eyes on her plate as Nilly began to demolish hers.

"We didn't hear you come home last night." Jenna announced suddenly, causing Nilly to involuntarily swallow a mouthful of milk.

"Yeah, it was late. I didn't want to bother anyone." Nilly replied, trying to hide her coughs. Jenna nodded, but eyed her suspiciously. Elena wouldn't have said anything about her being with Damon, would she?

"Where'd you go?" Jenna pushed and Nilly cringed inwardly.

"Out, I need some air the house was collapsing in on me," Nilly said, milking the guilt card. Jenna just 'Mm-hm'ed and took a bite out of a piece of bacon.

After a moment of quiet Nilly spoke up, pivoting in her chair to face Mildred who was at the head of the table. "When are you planning on going back?" Nilly asked.

Mildred looked up at her. "Probably tomorrow sweetheart, why?" she inquired, seeing right through Nilin. She stuffed a forkful of food in her mouth before answering.

"We'll I thought I'd go back with you," Nilly answered slowly. From the corner of her eye she saw Elena's head perk up. "I need to take care of things down there, and I was also wondering something."

"Go on," Mildred urged.

Nilly put her fork down and rested her hands on the table top. "Well," she began. "I was wondering if you'd wanted the house, I could sign it over in your name. I mean, you practically live there now, why not make it official?"

Nilly saw a smile come to Mildred's face as she looked at Nilly over her thick framed glasses. "That is a wonderful idea, and I would love to."

"That makes this all so much easier." Jenna commented. "You could also inherit you're father's car. I'm sure he left it to you, but now you don't have to worry about buying another one."

Nilly let out a breath of relief. That was a great idea. She had been worrying about affording a car after her poor Jeep was wrecked, but with everything that's going on a car was one of the last things on her mind.

"Well that's two problems solved," she said slowly. "Too bad there are about a hundred more to deal with." Nilin mumbled, under her breath.

"Don't worry yourself, peaches." Mildred said, patting the top of Nilly's hand.

"I know my dad left me some money, but I can't touch it until I'm eighteen, which is a few months." Technically speaking she would be, playing along with the whole 'non-adopted cousins' lie. "I don't think I can stay in Hopesville, I never really like that place. So, I'll get a job and find an apartment somewhere, then I'll be out of you're hair." Nilly continued, looking at Jenna.

"What? No, no." Jenna said with Elena and Jeremy shaking their heads. "You're staying here, no arguing."

"We're all we have left," Jeremy spoke up. "We're sticking together." His words made Nilly's heart lurch out of her chest. She swallowed back the tears as a sad smile came over her lips.

"We need you here." Elena said softly, finally meeting Nilly's eyes.

She nodded. "Okay, I'll stay here then and finish up school," she agreed, laughing a little. Jenna reached over and squeezed Nilly's hand.

"So it's settled. You can ever paint the room whatever you want," she smiled. Well, that was a bonus, getting rid of that ghastly cheery yellow sounded amazing.

"I'll go back with Mildred tomorrow, clean the house out, pack the car up and head back home." Nilly said with a smiled. Jenna nodded in agreement.

"I'll go with you," Elena suddenly spoke up.

Nilly was taken back and slowly turned to her, casting a glare her way. "No, it's fine." Nilly replied slowly. "I rather do this alone."

Elena shook her head, a stern look on her face. "This is going to be difficult, Nilly. You need someone there, let me be there for you." Elena said back, her voice indicating that they weren't only talking about her father's house.

"She's right," Mildred interjected, causing Nilly to look at her. "Everything should be fine if she comes. You might need her support." Nilly shook her head, her stomach was beginning to do flips.

If Mildred thought it was fine though…

"Alright, whatever." Nilly said defeated.

"Maybe Bonnie would like to go to." Elena offered. "She'd like to help."

Nilly's eyes shot to Elena. What was she _doing_? It was unbelievable that Elena wasn't seeing the real danger in this.

"No, not Bonnie. We don't need too many people." Nilly urged, eyeing Elena.

"She'd want to help." Elena pushed.

Nilly gripped her fork, sending daggers Elena's way. "Why we're at it why don't we bring Stefan and Caroline along with us too!" Nilly nearly shouted, standing up quickly.

Elena eyes were scolding, her lips set straight as Nilly named the other two people she cared about most. At least the realization was sinking in that this was dangerous, but Nilly was still seething.  
She had her arms braced on the table leaning towards Elena, she turned her head. "Hey, Jer. Wanna come too?" she asked her voice threatening. Now Elena was standing, leaning towards Nilly the same way.

"Knock it off, Nilin," she shouted back.

"Why aren't you seeing that I want to do this alone?! It's better!"

"What if I invited Damon? Hmm? Would that be better as well?" Elena barked, her voice rising.

Nilly stood there, staring at her with her mouth gaping like a fish. Her nails dug into the table as she answered. "Yes, that would be _fabulous_," she retorted, scooting her chair back and storming out of the room.

"What the hell was that?" she heard Jenna say as Nilly left the dinning room and went out to the front porch. She didn't realize she had been pacing back and forth until Mildred came out of the house.

"Keep that up and you'll make a trench to other side," she joked lightly. Nilly sighed leaning against the railing, crossing her arms over her chest. Mildred sat attentively on the porch swing, flattening out her floral skirt. "Now are you going explain to me what that was about?"

"No." Nilly mumbled, looking down. Mildred sat patiently with her hands locked in her lap, staring at her. With a groan, Nilly went over and sat next to her. "She doesn't understand how serious going back there is! I don't know where Christian is and what if he's there. I can't protect them, Mildred!" Nilly shouted.

Mildred placed a hand on Nilly's knee. "I don't think it will be dangerous for them if they were to come, peaches. If they stayed at the house nothing would happen and that's saying if he even is there." Mildred explained. "But that beside the point, it's your decision and I think bringing a witch and a vampire or two might not hurt."

"Yeah, but-" Nilly paused, turning to Mildred slowly. "Did you say 'vampire'?" She nodded, a smile on her lips. "But… How? Wha-?"

"I'm a very old witch, Nilin. We sense them and, from what I could tell, you had two in your house last night," she explained. "One was even brave enough to shake my hand."

Nilly stared at her, mouth gaping. "Stefan?" she questioned.

Mildred shook her head. "It was the boy you came downstairs with, the gentleman with the dark eyes. I believe his name is Damon." Mildred corrected with sureness. Nilly's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "He was fully aware of what I was. He's a strong vampire, meaning he sensed me as I sensed him, yet he offered me his hand after you left."

"And…?" Nilly questioned, knowing there was more to what she was saying.

"And he has a very dark heart," Mildred said, Nilly's lips frowned. "But there was a spark I felt when he looked at you, very peculiar." Nilly nodded, staring off in space. "I like this one much better than the first, I must say. He's a really charmer." Mildred winked. Nilin laughed a little. "What did you get yourself into again, peaches?" Mil asked.

Nilin stopped laughing. She rubbed her eyes. "I don't know, Mildred. I have no clue," she admitted to the elderly woman. "I'm scared though."

Mildred hushed her. "I can't take away your fear, Nilin, but I can reassure you of your strength. You'll be okay."

"And him?" Nilly asked timidly.

"You have to be patient though, he's had a cold front up for to long. It's hard to change one's ways," she told her. From what Mildred was saying though it seemed like she trusted Nilly with Damon. That she understood her and where she was coming from.

"So, you think he's worth all this?"

Mildred smiled, squeezing her knee. "He is," she responded. "Just remember that."

Nilly nodded with a soft smile. "Mildred?"

"Hmm?" she answered.

"How do you know all this stuff? Nilly asked.

Mildred gave her a strange grin. "The spirits talk, they see much more than me and like to gossip a lot."

Nilly nodded and shifted on the bench, "Oh, gotcha."

"And what do we have here?" Mildred said out of the blue. Nilly looked at her, then off to where she was staring. That's when she saw Magnolia and Shellie coming up the porch steps. Shellie was smiling, holding an armful of flowers. Magnolia came up behind her, Lee-Roy's big fluffy head dodging between their legs eagerly.

"Someone wanted to see you," Magnolia called as Lee-Roy rushed up to Nilin, placing his head in her lap.

"Hey buddy," she said as she scrunched his ears. Nilly stood up greeting the girls.

"These are for you, picked them myself." Shellie said proudly, handing Nilly the flowers.

"Thank you, they're beautiful," she smiled. "Oh, guys. This is Mildred." Nilly said quickly, motioning to the elderly lady who was now standing next to her.

"You're a witch." Shellie blurted out innocently in wonderment.

They all chuckled. Mildred nodded, taking Shellie's hands between her own. "And ya'll are something else…" Mildred speculated. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them with amazement. "Well now isn't your kind a rarity."

"You know about Servitors?" Nilly questioned with an arched eyebrow.

"Of course I do!" Mildred laughed. "They're a mystery among the supernatural community due to their low numbers, coming across one is an honor. May I ask what you can do?" Mildred said somewhat in awe, not releasing Shellie's hands.

She looked at the older woman with respect as she answered. "I have the power of sight, my cousin, she's an empath." Shellie explained with a smile.

"My god, how brilliant." Mildred mused. Then she went and took Magnolia's hand. "You're gift is even more rare," she continued and Nilly actually saw Magnolia blush. "Why didn't you tell me about these to young ladies? I have so many questions." Mildred said turning to Nilly. She shrugged defensively, raising her eyebrows. "This is only the second time I've come across Servitors." Mil announced.

"Second?" Shellie gasped, taking a seat next to Mildred on the porch swing again.

Mil nodded. "This first time was in Chicago, the 1970's," she enlightened with a wise voice. Shellie's eyes widen as she began to recount her experience.

Nilly motioned for Magnolia to follow her and they both slipped into the house, leaving Shellie and Lee-Roy entranced in Mil's memory.

Once inside Nilly led Magnolia to the kitchen. "You thirsty?" she asked as she filled a vase with water for the flowers.

"No, I'm good." Magnolia answered, sitting on one of the island's stools. Nilly turned from the sink, placing the bouquet in the middle of the counter.

"Waa-la." Nilly smiled, sitting across from her. "They really are beautiful," she continued mesmerized by the bight colors. "You have to thank Shellie for me again."  
Magnolia grinned, lounging back on the stool. "Yeah she's got an act for that nature stuff, me not so green," she joked, holding up her thumbs.

Nilly chuckled, shaking her head. "Same here."

"So you seem better, a little anxious though. Want to tell me why?" Magnolia urged.

Nilly raised her eyebrow. "Don't you already know?"

"Maybe," she smiled.

"I need to go back to Hopesville," Nilly sighed.

"And…?"  
"And Elena wants to come. Scratch that, she _is_ coming and planning on bring half the freaking town with her," Nilly spouted.

"And that's not good… because of Christian?" Magnolia questioned.

She nodded, "Exactly." There was a pause and Nilly looked up a Mags. "I'm scared he'll hurt them," she confessed in a whispered tone.

Magnolia gave her a lop-side smiled, her amber eyes shining. "They'll be okay," she said just as softly. "I'm worried about _you._"

"What did Shellie see?" Nilly asked stiffening.

Magnolia shook her head, laughing a little. "She didn't see anything, I'm feeling it. You're dealing with a lot right now, yet I'm picking up on almost nothing here."

"I've had practice with hiding emotions for some time now. It's kinda what I do." Nilin shrugged.

"But all that emotion is going to come bubbling up sooner or later," Mags told her.  
Nilin narrowed her eyes. "Thanks, Doctor Phil."

"Hey," Magnolia raised her hands in defense. "I just call it how I see it." Nilin smiled a little. "I don't thank there's any harm if she were to go," she advised suddenly.

Nilly groaned and dropped her head on the table. She wasn't going to let Elena come with her, there had to be a way to keep her safe here in MysticFalls. If Elena can have her schemes, why couldn't she? Nilly lifted her head, nearly smirking as she thought of something.

"You're starting to scare me," Magnolia retorted. "I don't like where this is going."

Nilly's lips dropped. "I don't know what you're talking about," she pouted.

Magnolia smiled, laughing at her a little. "Sure," she eyed.

Nilly went to defend herself, but Jeremy walked in. "Hey, Ni-" He stopped, seeing Magnolia sitting there. "Sorry, I didn't realize you had someone here."

"Its okay, Jer. This is Magnolia." Nilly introduced. "And Shellie's somewhere…" She cranked her neck to look out the window trying to see if they were still out there.

"Hey," he nodded, Magnolia smiled back.

"This is the other Gilbert." Nilly smiled, returning back to them.

"Yeah, unfortunately," he mumbled.

"Owch." Nilly touched her chest in pretend hurt. Jeremy just rolled his eyes. Suddenly Nilly heard someone giggle and she turned to see Shellie coming through the front door her arm linked with Mildred.

Shellie looked up and smiled. "Can I take her home with me?" she asked and Mildred squeezed her hand.

"You've got a lively one here," Mil smiled to Magnolia before giving Shellie another squeeze and heading upstairs.

Nilly laughed and turned to Jeremy. "And that's Shellie," she smiled but clearly Jeremy wasn't listening. He had his eyes locked with Shellie's, both had a goofy smile on their faces.

"I'm Jeremy," he said, still smiling.

"Nice to meet you," Shellie twirled her hair.

"Alright, time to go." Magnolia announced, standing up. "Where's my dog?" she asked, snapping her fingers in front of Shellie.

"Hmm? What…? Outside," she mumbled.

Magnolia shook her head. "You need me?" she asked Nilly.

Nilly shook her head. "I'm good."

"Good, come on Shells," she said pulling on her arm.

"Bye Nilly, Bye Jeremy." Shellie smiled, letting Magnolia drag her out.

"Bye," Nilly and Jeremy said in unison. Nilly turned to her cousin, arching an eyebrow.

He shrugged. "What? She's cute," he grinned.

Nilly shook her head. "Did you want something before you came in here eye flirting with my _friend_?"

"Oh yeah, Elena was heading to Stefan's and she wanted to talk to you when she got back," he answered.  
"Did she leave already?" she asked.

"Um, yeah I think. Why?"

Nilly smiled. Perfect. "Just wondering, thanks," she called to him quickly before heading out to catch up with Elena.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

It's Friday! Woo. I hope you all had a fantastic week. Here's a little something from me to end your long week. Again, not a very action pack or steamy chapter. Its more of a bridge to the real action yet to come. So check back Monday evening for more! Thank you all for the new reviews, I love them.  
Remember to _**Favorite, Follow & Review!**_

RLS


	47. Chapter Thirty-One: The Rebuttal– Part 2

**Chapter Thirty-One: The Rebuttal– Part 2**

Nilly confidently walked up to the boarding house's front door, she used the large brass knocker to knock several times and then waited. The heavy door opened with a confused looking Elena on the other side.

"Nilly?" she questioned.

"You needed to talk to me." Nilin stated simply, walking around Elena into the house.

"Well, yeah," she said, closing the door. "But I meant when I got back home."

Nilly crossed her arms over her chest and turned towards her sister. "I thought Stefan would like to hear about how his girlfriend has a death wish," she announced loudly.

Elena glared at her as she walked passed Nilly and started to go up the grand stairwell. "Nilin, can we please not do this."

"You're not going with me, even if I have to get Stefan to duct tape you to a chair. You are not putting yourself in harms way for me," she ordered Elena.

"I going, and that's that." Elena deduced, watching as Nilin went up the steps and closed in on her.

"We'll see about that," Nilly said before she followed Elena up to the study, where Stefan was sitting at the massive wooden desk.

He looked up and smiled.

"Told you it was her," he said to Elena. She just smiled and waved her hand for Nilly to talk.

"Did Elena tell you about her latest plan?" Nilin got to the point quickly.

"No." Stefan said hesitantly, raising an eyebrow as he stood up behind the desk.

"She wants to go to Hopesville with me to get my things." Nilly explained, wandering over to one of the shelves.

"Elena?" Stefan asked, turning to her for an explanation.

"She can't go alone." Elena justified. "You saw what happened the last time, Stefan. She almost didn't make it back alive."

"And that last sentence is why you are not going." Nilin pointed out. "Stefan, there is a very likely chance that Christian is there. He doesn't know about Elena, which makes her safe. Don't you see if she goes there's a chance that_ she_ won't make it back."

"Oh, not fair!" Elena said, turning towards her. "You can't play Stefan like that. He's my boyfriend."

"No one ever said I played fair, Elena." Nilin shrugged.

"Nilin's right Elena," Stefan spoke up. "You're safe for now. Going there with her can cause more problems for us."

"Nilin needs someone there with her, if not for protection then for support at least," Elena tried again.

'Death wish.' Nilly mouthed as she ran a finger across the books' spines.

"This isn't a good idea, I can't have you going down there. It's not safe." Stefan said and Nilly's grin perked up. Her plan was working.

"Stefan I need to go." Elena urged.

"I'll be fine, Elena!" Nilin insisted. "As long as I stay at the house this time, he can't get to me."

"Then as long as I stay there, I'll be fine too," she shrugged.

"No, I'm going alone." Nilly said determinedly, her eyes hardening. They glared at each other, both with their arms crossed, both not budging. God, the Gilberts were a stubborn group.

"You're not going alone." Elena said her voice strained.

"Yes I am," Nilly said in the same tone.

"Nilin, I'm going with you," she ordered.  
"I'm. Going. Alone." Nilin said slowly, her teeth gritting with each word.

"No, you're not!"

"Yes I am!"

"No you're not," said a cocky voice. Nilly groaned, not even needing to turn to know who had said it. Well, she didn't plan on this…

"Damon," Stefan greeted, making his way around the desk to stand next to Elena, almost instinctively.

"Brother," he replied uninterested. "Ladies," he smirked. Nilly went over and plopped on the couch, slouching down. "Oh don't be pouty," Damon rolled his eyes. "Do you think we'd really let you go without any protection?" he asked.

"That's exactly what I though actually." Nilly shot back. He shook his head at her like she was a child being chastised. She sat up, eyeing him. "Yeah, because Elena would be _sooo_ much protection," she said sarcastically.

Damon snickered. Nilin honestly didn't see what funny about this. "Yeah, you' both would surely get killed then," he snorted.

"Hey!" Elena said defensively. "Well then who else is going to keep her safe?"

"I will," Damon smiled.

"There is no way in hell that we're letting you go with Nilly down there alone." Stefan leered.

"And why not?" Damon and Nilin asked simultaneously. Though, Nilin's was louder and a bit more frantic than Damon's usual bored sarcastic tone.

"Yes, we're trying to protect Nilin from one manic vampire, let's send another one to go with her!" Elena said sarcastically, looking between the two of them. "Good plan," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Would you give it a rest, Elena?" Nilin asked. Elena's eyes widen as if insulted. "Damon's probably my best choice for protection, but that's beside the point because he's not coming with me either. No one its." Nilin finalized.

"Um, sweetheart," Damon said, sauntering over to her. "It looks like you're out numbered here," he informed her, placing his hand on the small of her back. "You're going with protection detail, and at the moment that looks to be me."

"No," Elena put her foot down. "I don't trust you with her at all Damon."

"Fine," Damon dawdled out. "Then brother dearest comes with us," he said, turning to Stefan. Stefan nodded his head in agreement.

Nilly was standing suddenly, rocketing off the couch. "No, no, no!" she shouted. "No, you are not going."

"Why not?" Stefan questioned.

"Because, don't you see? Christian doesn't know about you or Elena, that means you two are out of harm's way." Nilly explained, getting shivers from the memory of her and Damon's last encounter with him. "I just lost my dad, I can't lose anyone else."

"I don't care," Damon said. "You're not going alone, and that's it."

Nilly turned back to him in disbelief. "Do you want to reenact Georgia?" she threatened, lifting an eyebrow.

"No, I want to finish it." Damon told her, taking an even more menacing step towards her.

"Georgia?" Stefan asked, looking towards his brother.

Damon shrugged. "We had a run in with the bastard. He tried to kill me, failed and here we are," He tried to downplay it. They both knew now wasn't the time for _that_ story to be retold.

"What?" Elena practically shrieked.

Nilin winced. "It wasn't a big enough deal for me to tell you," she lied, it was actually a huge deal.

She didn't tell Elena because Nilin knew Elena would go off, stake in hand, looking for Christian herself. Just like how she was about to now.

"Nilly, we're going with you." Stefan said, placing his arm around Elena. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way to keep both of you safe."

"No, the only way to keep both of us safe is if Elena stays here in Mystic Falls and I go to Hopesville alone," she nearly growled. "_That's_ the only way."

"Say we do that," Damon said, spinning her around to face him. "Then what's stopping Elena from hopping in the nearest car and chasing after you? Huh?"

"I was hoping the two perfectly capable vampires would," Nilin glared up at him.

He leaned in towards her, getting a little too close for Nilin's comfort. "And what stopping me from doing the same?" he asked her, his voice sending shivers down her spine.

Nilin didn't realize she had been holding her breath. She exhaled slowly, her head still inclined towards him. "I think a stake would do the trick," she told him in the most smart ass tone she could muster up.

He just chuckled, shaking his head slightly, before taking a step back from her. Nilin felt her cheeks heat up. She caught Elena and Stefan's expressions out of the corner of her eye, causing her to blush more.

"Nice try," Damon smirked at her. "We're still going."

Nilly closed her eyes, putting her hands on her forehead. How did she go into this house planning on keeping Elena here and leave with two more signed up to go?

She sat down again her eyes still closed and her head in her hands. She could feel her heart start racing, and those pre-panic attack cold sweats break out on her forehead. Focusing her breathing, she faintly rocked back and forth.

"There's no changing you're minds?" she asked in a dry voice when she managed to calm down enough. Nilly looked up to see them shaking their heads. "Fine," she said getting up fast and leaving the room.

Nearly flying down the stairs she was about to leave the boarding house when a hand grabbed her. Nilly was spun around and found herself pressed up against Damon, his hands gripping her wrists between them.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked with that cocky smirk.

"Furious," she glared, trying to get out of his grasp.

"I promised I wouldn't let him touch you again, and I mean it. Whether you like it or not," he said.

Nilly stopped her useless attempt to break free and stare up into his onyx eyes. "I don't like it at all," she said in a hushed tone.

"Oh well," he shrugged before bending down and kissing her. Her eyes fluttered close as an electrical current passed through them. When she pressed into the kiss more a shock stung her lips and she pulled back.

"What was that?" she questioned, feeling her tingling lips.

"Who knows," he said strangely. "We'll have to find out later," Damon grinned. She rolled her eyes and tried to pull out of his hands again. This time he let her.

"I have to go," she said with a small smile.

He frowned, jutting out his lower lip. "You're going to leave me here with the Saints?" he asked in fake hurt.

"God bless you," Nilin said, giving him her own little smirk before leaving the boarding house. Before she closed the front door she turned to look at him. "If you go and get yourself killed, I'm going to personally raise you from the dead and kill you myself," she threatened him.

"Is that a promise?" he winked at her.

Nilin couldn't help the smile that forced the corners of her mouth up. She laughed a little before closing the front door and heading towards her car. Once in the driver's seat, she touched her ring finger and middle finger to her lips gently, still feeling the effect of the shock. Looking at her self in the rearview mirror, she shook her head in disbelief.

_Shit, what have I gotten myself into? _

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

It's Mystical Monday! Ha, see what I did there? Ha.. yeah, so anyway. Happy Monday, I hope you're weekend was wonderful and I didn't just ruin your day with my terrible pun. This is the last part to chapter 31. Tell me how I did, you like? More?  
Well, you'll get it on Friday! I hope to see you then.  
Have a fabulous week!  
**_Favorite, Follow & Review_**

_RLS_


	48. Chapter 32: The Packaged Memories- Part1

**Chapter Thirty-Two: The Packaged Memories- Part 1**

The next day Nilin found herself driving Mildred's car back to Hopesvile, with Mil in the passenger seat. Elena was with Stefan in her own car and Damon said he'd find his own way of getting down there. Nilin didn't care to know what that meant. Nilin wanted to be the one to drive because it kept her mind busy and not focused on the next few days, so Mildred had let her.

She already felt sick with worry. Her body was hot and flush, she had a pounding headache and her teeth remained gripped together. Nilly was positively dreading this.

After the many hour drive they pulled off the highway and into town. It only took a few more miles before they reached her house. The house was a simple two story house, with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a family room and garage. It was a lovely home, just never _her_ home. She pulled in the driveway, with Elena behind her. Stefan got out first, scanning the area. Then he nodded, and Elena hoped out of the driver's seat, taking his hand.

Nilin was about to reach for the car door handle when the door suddenly swung open. She felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her out then there was a rush of air.

"Invite me in," a voice hissed sweetly in her ear. Dazed and confused her lips stumbled over the words, stuttering out "Come in." Then she felt her feet make contact with the ground again and Nilly realized she was standing in the dim foyer of her house.

She inhaled sharply, head spinning. It felt as is she had just gotten off the fastest rollercoaster in the world… or shot into her home at supernatural speed. Trying to regain herself, Nilin began to stumble back a little but someone kept her from falling. Her eyes focused and she saw a smirking Damon in front of her. "Thanks for the warning," she glared.

"You're welcome," he retorted just as the others came through the door. Nilly stepped back awkwardly, realizing how close the two of them had been standing. Damon just gave a crooked grin as his arms crossed over his chest. She turned to the door where Stefan waited patently, Elena and Mildred on the other side of the threshold. She uttered the words again and Stefan stepped in the house with a gracious nod.

"Make yourselves at home," she sighed flipping on the lights above their heads. She was beginning to get a piercing headache. "Mi casa es su casa, and all that."

"I didn't sense anything around the house," Stefan announced.

Damon chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Yes, let's all rely on the bunny-muncher for surveillance," he remarked, causing Nilin to furrow her eyebrows. "_I_," Damon continued, "didn't find anything as well."

"If you don't feel like sleeping on the law tonight you three will keep the disparaging banter to a minimum, got it?" Nilin warned, rubbing the side of her temples.

"Very well put," Mildred said, ignoring the obviously tension in the room. "Remember, as long as you stay in the house, ya'll be perfectly fine," she turned to Nilly. "You got that?"

Nilly nodded, heading towards the stairs. "Yes, warden."

Elena laughing a little and Mildred turned to her. "That goes for you too, girly."

Elena's laughter halted. "Yes, ma'am," she agreed.

"Now, I'm going to get some food started," she smiled, heading towards the kitchen as if nothing in the world was wrong. Nilly kicked off her shoes at the base of the stairs and slid them to the side before she ascended. She turned back to find the other three standing uncomfortably in the foyer, looking at her.

She sighed.

"I'm going upstairs, feel free to move," she said, gesturing to the rest of the house. "Elena, you've been here like twice before, I think. You know where stuff is." Nilly turned back to the stairs. "Second door on the left is the bourbon, Damon," she called over her shoulder. "It's hidden on top of the bookshelf."

She heard something muttered behind her but paid no attention to it. Stepping into her room, she let out a huff and collapsed on top of the bed. Though she preferred this bedroom more then the one back in Mystic Falls, she didn't mind that this would be the last few times she'd sleep in it. Nilin already had paint colors picked out in her head.

Still, it would be bittersweet. The surreality that her dad was gone still spun around in her head, it didn't feel real. She began to cry. It was a soft and quiet crying that felt more like a slow gas leak just waiting for the whole thing to burst. Nilin had been crying more and more lately, it worried her but she let it happen. After a while she wiped the dampness off her cheeks and she lifted herself from the bed.

Starting for her dresser, she figured she might as well start now, the quicker the better. Besides, Nilin needed something to keep her mind busy and distracted. She began piling the clothes from her drawers; pajamas, sweats, socks. Digging in her closet she found a big red suitcase and emptied her clothes in there, not bothered to fold them. The remaining room she pushed as many pairs of shoes she could in there before it was bulging at the zipper, then dragged it next to her door. That's when she smelled something cooking and her stomach gave an involuntary rumble.

Oh, did Mildred know how to cook. With her mouth watering Nilin left her room and her minimal packing to follow her feet as they took her back downstairs. Confusion washed over her when she heard laughter and 'awes' coming from the living room which was attached to the kitchen. She rounded the corner to find a peculiar sight. Stefan and Elena cozily smiling on the long green sofa, Mildred crossed legged in the brown recliner and Damon leaning causally on the wall, a glass tumbler in hand.

They were all staring at the television perched on the wall and they were all smiling. Nilly followed their gazes to the screen and her mouth dropped.

She was watching herself, well a 7 year old self with her goofy crooked smile and lopsided braids. Her eyes widened as the little girl on the screen smiled, showing the bright orange peel in her mouth. Nilly's hands went to her mouth in embarrassment as everyone laughed.

"Oh my god," she groaned. "Where'd you find this?"

"Second door on the right," Damon teased, pushing off the wall. "I might have done a little snooping and found these charming home-videos." Nilly glared at him.

She went to reprimand him about going through her father's study but the scene on changed, drawing her attention back to the TV. The date at the bottom showed it was the summer time, almost eight years ago.

The video zoomed in, showing a young Nilin and Elena doing somersaults in her old backyard in Mystic Falls. They were laughing as they sadly attempted to get their little ten year old legs in the air. The camera turned to show Nilin's Aunt Miranda sitting on the back deck. It zoomed in again, focusing on her aunt who hid her face and shooed the camera away, hinting it was her Uncle Grayson who was filming. He zoomed the camera out again, getting Nilin's parents in the picture as well.

They sat close together in lawn chairs, arms linked together, finger intertwined. Her mother lifted a bony hand and waved at the camera. Nilin watched as her father leaned over and pecked her mother on the cheek. She turned to him, beaming and kissed him back on the lips.

Nilly could feel herself smile. "I miss them," she said to no one in particular. Then she noticed her mother's appearance. The dull skin, the dark circles under her eyes and the lack of hair, all pointed to her illness. The corners of Nilly's mouth dropped mechanically.

But before she had a chance to think more into it the tape changed again. This time it was Nilly, hair long and messy. Her curls were flying everywhere as she spun in a yellow spring dress. She must have been eleven as her father filmed her jumping and dancing around their old living room.

"You are so dead," she threatened Damon, momentarily turning her attention off the TV. He just smirked at her, his eyes shifting back to the eleven year old Nilin as she began to sing. Her voice was higher, more like wind chimes and, to Nilly's ears, it sounded happy.  
_"You will rest your head, your strength once saving. _

_And when you wake you will fly away,  
holding tight to the legs of all your angels.  
Goodbye my love, into your blue, blue eyes,  
your blue, blue world, you're my baby blue."_

The carefree little girl with the bright blue eyes and bouncy chocolate curls spun around, doing a little bow. She heard the cheers and clapping behind the camera.

"Nills, wanna say something to the camera?" she heard her dad ask.

Eleven year old Nilin nodded and got really close to lens. "I love you mommy," she said loudly. "Feel better and come home soon," the little girl smiled before the film cut out.

Nilly realized her cheeks were wet again, and scrubbed her eyes furiously. She hadn't heard that song in ages, her mother used to sing it to her. She turned to the others, Elena was smiling as she leaned on Stefan's shoulder.

"Ah, god," she rubbed her nose, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "You guys sure know how to cheer a girl up." Nilin laughed a little.

"It was Damon's idea." Elena pointed a finger.

Nilin turned to her. "I can't believe you let them watch that."

"What?" Elena lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "It was cute, you were an _adorable_ little kid."

Nilly just glowered at her, shaking her head. "We look alike."

"Exactly," Elena smiled.

"I haven't seen that video in ages," Mildred announced, the look on her face was genuinely happy. Nilly couldn't help but continue to smile, it seemed to light up the thickness of the atmosphere. She rubbed her eyes and sighed.

"I'm still mad," she mumbled, her eyes closed.

"You'll get over it," Damon said in her ear and she jumped at his sudden closeness. He chuckled at her reaction, his breath tingling the back of her neck before she turned around to glare at him. Big mistake. She came face to face with his dark eyes, underestimating how close he was. Swallowing hard she stepped back, annoyed with the fluster that came over her.

He just smiled coolly as she consciously crossed her arms over her chest.

Mildred, still seemingly unaware of the tension between the other four, got up from her spot and patted Nilly's arm. "Come on and eat. You look starved."

She couldn't argue with that so she followed Mil into the kitchen, brushing past Damon. In the kitchen she sat at the counter, leaning her elbow on it sluggishly. Her senses were on high, her emotion drawn.

Nilly was sinking into a doze until a large plate of food was placed in front of her. Her stomach growled involuntarily as the smells wafted to her nose. She dug in, barley noticing Elena's presence as she came and sat down next to Nilly with her own plate.

"Where'd the other two go?" Nilly mumbled with a mouthful of food.

"Outside, to look around." Elena replied with her own mouth full. Nilly nodded, a slight uneasiness coming over her. _As long as they stayed near the house they were safe_, the reassuring thought came to her. "I think," Elena continued, "that we should try to get done as soon as possible. Pack your room up tonight and then the rest tomorrow."

Nilly nodded again, scrapping her plate clean. "Alright." That's all she could muster at this point. She sighed pushing back from the counter and taking her dish to the sink. She sat back down, across from Elena this time, as Elena continued to eat.

"Do you hate me?" Elena asked attentively, keeping her eyes down.

Nilly paused for a moment before answering, taken back by the question.

"Never," she replied.

Elena smiled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything. I have made things so much harder for you and I'm sorry. I should support you, I should have your back and trust, damn it." Elena said. "I had my reasons for making the choices that I have," she continued. "I- I just don't know what to do anymore. It feels as if everything is slipping away from me."

Nilly was quiet as she allowed Elena to unload everything. Then she silently took Elena's hand. She could practically feel Elena's emotions, maybe because Nilin herself had felt them recently too. The frustration, the fear, the emptiness all of it, all at once.

Then Nilly realized that Elena had been keeping strong for her, and now she was finally breaking down.

"I haven't been making it easy, either." Nilly reasoned. "I should have listened too you in the beginning, but I didn't. I couldn't and I wish you'd see that. It wasn't in the stars or whatever," Nilin said, causing Elena to smile. "I don't understand any of this, and it scares me. It really does and on top of everything I have Christian and my father and you to think of. I could have made things easier, but I can honestly say I don't regret anything. I just don't understand."

"What's not to understand?" Elena asked softly. "Your hearts to big for your own good," she smiled sadly. "You care about him, Nilin. Don't you realize that?" Nilin couldn't answer. "I'll try to understand, but only if you understand that I can't trust him. Not now, and I don't know when, if ever. He's done things to make sure of that and I know that there is are very good chance he'll hurt you. I don't think I could handle if something happened to you, especially because of him."

Nilly bobbed her head. "But I feel safe _now_, and I'm very aware of those chances. And because of that I'm cautious. The walls have been up for so long, Elena," she said in sad realization. "And I don't know how to let someone get close to me."

"To know of what you've been going through makes me so angry and sad and… I just don't want you to be in this place anymore." Elena told her.

"I don't either," Nilly laughed slightly. "But I'm dealing," she shrugged. Then she took Elena's hands in hers. "I need time, time to figure things out." Nilly explained. "But first I need to deal with what's in front of me. Meaning this house and Christian, then I can start detangling everything else. Until then though, I need you to believe me and have some sort of faith in me. That's all I'm asking. You don't have to support my decisions, just tolerate them."

"I think I can try and do that." Elena smiled slightly.

"Good." Nilin said, hugging her sister.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Hey guys! I hope you had an awesome week. Mine was pretty hectic but the weekend's here! And that means a new chapter! Here's 32 for you, tell me what you all think! I love to hear your thoughts. See you on Monday!  
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RLS

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**Baby Blue by The Dave Mathews Band


	49. Chapter 32: The Packaged Memories- Part2

**Chapter Thirty-Two: The Packaged Memories – Part 2**

_"What's not to understand? Your heart's too big for your own good. You care about him."_

He could hear Elena's voice in his head again. The two sisters made it way too easy to eavesdrop on them. Now that phrase wouldn't get out of his ear. Damon shrugged it off at the moment, but he could still feel it pricking at his brain.

He stood on the back patio, where he had escaped to when he heard them coming his way. Damon gazed around the backyard now listening intently to his surroundings and picking up on the sounds of the neighborhood. He could hear things as close as the voices of Nilin and Elena above him in, what he guessed was Nilin's room, to things as far as the highway that they had gotten off of miles back. He picked up on everything in between; the sound of a dog whining in the distance, accompanied by the start of the frogs and crickets chirping as dusk approached, the random cars that would pass here and there, someone trying to console a crying child a few houses down. Everything else seemed to be calm. He scanned the tree line one last time before turning to go back into the house.

Stepping through the sliding doors silently, he spotted his brother and the elderly witch talking. Stefan obliviously being a gentleman, with his shiny halo, was leaning on the counter as the old woman rambled about something. Stefan's eyes lifted and he spotted Damon, unable to hide the quick instant of surprise that flashed across his face.

Damon grinned in the satisfaction of spooking his little brother. He was going to make one of his witty comments but was interrupted by the clatter of Nilin dragging a large red suit case down the stairs, making a mass amount of noise as she struggled with it.

Showing off his own ability to be a gentleman, Damon went to help her. Easily he lifted the case and placed it by the front door. A breathless 'thank you' came from Nilin as she quickly threw her curly hair into a bun. He returned her thank you with a wink as Elena came down the stairs with a cardboard box. She placed it next to the suitcase, eyeing Damon. He smiled back, enjoying the eye roll he got from her. Then she disappeared into the kitchen, no doubt to find her Saint Stefan, leaving Damon with Nilin.

She was kneeling on the ground, rearranging the items in the box to better close it. She huffed once it was sealed and stood up. Damon, shamed to admit it, felt discomfort from the tension between them. It was the battle of the human and the demon inside of him again. The humanity seemed to have a stronger hold on him than usual. It wanted him to tell Nilin that he heard what she had been saying to Elena before. The other part was saying screw it, that it didn't matter.

He wasn't much of a fan of internal conflict, so he played it cool.

"What's all this?" he asked causally.

"Clothes, and shoes," she answered, pointing to the suitcase then the box. "You don't realize how much crap you have until you try to shove it all into a box," she shook her head. The small smile on her face didn't reach her eyes, which were normally electric blue but now the irises were dull and worn looking.

"Well, lucky for you I am an expert at fitting large things into small places," he flirted, waggling his eyebrows.

A faint blush came over Nilin's cheeks as she rolled her eyes. "That was an absolutely terrible joke, Damon." she told him. "I think you're losing your game old man."

"Old man, eh?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow as he took an intimidating step towards her. He could see her eyes widen as she instinctive back up. "Could an old man make your heart beat faster?" he asked her, backing her up against the wall. "Can he make your pupils dilate, your breaths to catch in your throat?"

"Um, uh…" she stuttered, flattening herself against the wall.

"Well can he?" Damon leaned towards her. He noticed her stiffen up as he came closer. Nilin bit her lip, and locked eyes with him.

"Damon," Nilin warned.

"Nilin," he mimicked with a smirk.

"Let me breathe before I stake you," she threatened. He laughed, brushing the bangs out of Nilin's eyes before he took a step back.

"I think you meant to say 'before I jump your bones'," he told her, enjoying the blush that filled her cheeks.

"Yeah, that's it." Nilin retorted sarcastically. She seemed to get her bearings back together as she said slowly, "Well then, Mr. Salvatore. Why don't you put that arrogant expertise of yours to good use and help me pack?"

Smiling triumphantly, he surprised her by taking her hand and pulling her up the stairs. She didn't object, but at the top of the stairs she stepped ahead of him and led him to her bedroom. She slipped her hand out of his as she swung open her door, stepping in. He followed her, momentarily stopping in her doorway to glance around.

The room was somewhat in disarray, things tossed haphazardly, the closet doors open and bare. A big bed sat in the middle of the room between two large windows that were sealed shut with white shear curtains. White sheets were tossed on the bed, falling over the white iron footboard which he noticed had lights entangled through it. On the wall adjacent to the bed was split in half, one side was the closet, the other a massive white maple book self that stood out against the navy walls. It was filled with novels, notebooks and pictures. A matching dresser sat across from the bed, more pictures and knickknacks covered it.

His eyes wandered to Nilin who was fidgeting with something on her nightstand, there was a static buzz which was quickly replaced my music. She turned towards him, smiling a little.

"I haven't heard this song in forever," she seemed to say to herself. Nilin began to sing along as she made her way over to the book shelf. "Could you hand me that?" she asked between verses. Damon realized he had been marveling at her and quickly snapped out of it as he slid the box she had been pointing to over to her. She smiled and continued to sing.

_"But the rain won't fall  
For the both of us.  
The sun won't shine  
On the both of us.  
Believe me when I say,  
That I wouldn't have it any other way.  
__Your time will come if you wait for it,  
__If you wait for it."_

Then he went over and made himself comfortable on her bed as Nilin began to place books into the box. She looked behind her, doing a double-take before rolling her eyes at him. He wondered if her eyes would get stuck in her head if she kept that up.

"What are you smirking at?" Nilin glared, her lips perking up.

"Oh, nothing," he smiled back, folding his arms behind his head.

She huffed and turned back around. "I though you were going to help," she accused over her shoulder.

"I am. I'm here for support," he explained. She scoffed at him as she tossed another book into the box. Sighing, he got off the bed and slid the box over being nosy.

"The man who knew no boundaries," he heard Nilin mumble under her breath. He just chuckled and continued to poke through her collection of books; several poetry books, one in Italian, a few Steven King and James Patterson. He smirked when he pulled out a worn looking _Beauty and the Beast _story book. He held it up, raising an eyebrow.

"What? I'm a sucker for an epic fairytales." Nilin shrugged as she took the book from his hand, trying to straighten out the folded corners. She bent down and placed it gently back in the box. "It was my mom's," she explained, smiling softly.

His confidence seemed to take a shot with the look on her face. It almost pained him. "You don't talk about her a lot," he commented sensitively. She shrugged, not looking at him as she turned to take more off the shelves.

"Not much to tell," she said, a detached tone in her voice. "She was sick for a while and died when I was eleven." Nilin stared to explain. "It was one of those times where it was like 'anyone but her'. She was just always so alive and smiling, always smiling." Nilin shook her head slightly. "My mom knew how to handle everything, she kept things together and when she was gone everything just crumbled. My dad moved us out here a few years later. And then a series of unfortunate events has brought us to our present day situation."

"Oh and how very unfortunate," he remarked lightly and saw a smile tug at her lips.

"Very," she replied. Then she was quiet for a little as she cleared the next self off, squatting by the box. "I have this memory," Nilin finally spoke up. "Of her teaching me how to play the piano and I remember hating it. I absolutely couldn't stand sitting there. And one day, after much complaining out of me, she stood up, patted me on the head and left the room." He watched her smile, though he didn't understand the humor of it but she kept going. "Me, of course being a flighty seven year old was ecstatic to get up and leave, but something stopped me. I didn't leave. Instead I sat up straight and tried the scale again, over and over. _Finally_," she emphasized, "I got it and just to turn around and find my mom sitting behind me. She had been there the entire time," she smiled, shaking her head. "Pretty sneaky, huh?"

"Well now I know where you get it from," Damon told her.

"I'm not…" Nilly paused for a moment. "Well…" she winked.

Damon laughed, unsure how to handle the bit of information she had just trusted him with. He knew it meant a lot to share that story, he could see that. He felt like he was undeserving of this precious memory she handed to him, but Nilin must've though he deserved it.

"Anyway, that's my story. Now what's yours?" she asked, closing the box and slinking over to the bed.

"Excuse me?"

"I told you a heart-felt story, that comes at a price," she explained. When he still looked at her with confusion she continued, "You know, I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

"Oh, so that's the game we're playing?" His lips curved into a grin.

She blushed, her eyes narrowing slightly. "No, no. That's not what we're play. I- I just want to know something about you," she mumbled.

He smiled at her innocence and sat next to her on the bed, leaning back. He caught her eyes grazing over his lounged form as she bit her lip and smirked to himself.

"Fine, if I must," he sighed, gaining her attention again. Was she blushing? "I was a soldier once," he revealed. Nilly pivoted her body, facing him so that one leg hung off the bed and the other was tucked under her.

"Really?" she inquired.

"Mmhm," he nodded. "A confederate."

"Oh?" Nilly's eyebrows lifted, realizing the time period. "O_oooh_…"

"I only joined because of my father, he forced me. Didn't even bat an eye at sending his first son into war, as long as it meant I was out of sight. And when I left the war, well lets just say he wasn't to happy." Damon smiled.

Nilin placed a hand on his, squeezing it slightly. "Well, he must have had reason behind it, right?" she asked softly.

He laughed, unable to help himself. "You didn't know my father. He loved Stefan. Me, on the other hand," Damon shrugged. "The man couldn't stand me." Nilin was laughing slightly, but her eyes were sad. He didn't understand why. "Is that enough to cover my debt?" He asked tauntingly.

"For now," she winked, sliding off the bed and over to her bookshelf. She sat on the floor with her back against the wall. The look on her face confused him, she seemed sad. He was usually good at this, reading women. He could read them like a book. Thus far there had only been two exceptions. The first one destroyed him and the second one had the power to do the same.

"You okay?" he asked, annoyed with how sensitive his voice sounded.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled faintly. "I'm drained. It's just late and I should bring this downstairs." Nilin said, standing and reaching down. He was quicker though and grabbed the box off the floor before she could even touch it.

"I've got it," he grinned.

She looked down quickly, her hands dropping to her sides. "You're doing it again," she mumbled meekly.

He lifted an eyebrow. "And what's that, gorgeous?" he asked, clearly throwing her off.

She kept her eyes down as she answered, "Making me like you."

He couldn't help but smiled, he relished in her reaction to him. "I'll try to keep that under control," he offered. Finally she lifted her eyes to him.

"Thank you, Damon." Nilin said, scurrying out of the room.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Hello my lovely readers! I've missed you guys. Here is the last part of the chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I find writing soft Damon very very _very_ challenging, so tell me how I did. I love to hear your thoughts, comments, questions and concerns. Anything you want to let me know just comment. I also want to thank my latest followers and favorites. Thank you for joining us and supporting me. I appreciate it so much. See you guys on Friday!

**_Favorite, Follow & Review_**  
RLS

**Featured Songs:**

Amsterdam by Imagine Dragons


	50. Chapter Thirty-Three: The Back Door

**Chapter Thirty-Three: The Back Door**

Five card board boxes later, Nilly was exhausted and her room was completely barren. The only thing left in it was her furniture. Some sheets and pillows were thrown on her bed and her stereo was sitting lonely on an empty nightstand. She even spent a half an hour untangling her white lights from the footboard of her bed. Now Nilin laid half way on the bed, her legs dangling off. She laid on her back, one arm thrown over her eyes to block out the light. Just as she was beginning to feel the tendrils of sleep sink into her she heard someone come into her room.

Elena came and plopped down on the bed next to her. "What time is it?" she sighed Nilly turned her head to look at her cell phone. "Almost one in the morning," she answered.

Elena mumbled something as she laid down next to Nilin and closed her eyes. Nilly had to be grateful for her sister. Elena had done most of the packing while Nilly was wandering in her own head, going through all her little forgotten knickknacks, and shedding a tear or two. Elena was probably the only reason they finished tonight. Soon they'd be all packed up and heading back to Mystic Falls .

Nilin sat up, throwing a white blanket over Elena. "Be right back," she sighed, getting off the bed.

Elena replied with a mumbled 'Mmhm' as Nilly left the room. She looked up the hall, her room being the one all the way at the end. Her father's room was shut, the way it was most likely to stay, and so was the guestroom. Well, Mildred's room, the one she's been staying in for years now.

It being closed meant she was probably sleeping. Nilly placed a hand on Mil's door gently as she walked past, silently thanking her and saying good night. She took the steps down stairs slowly and stopped at the hall closet before the family room. She pulled out an arm load of blankets and two pillows.

She continued into the dark family room slightly confused. It was empty, so was the kitchen. Nilly placed the pillows and blankets on the couch to flick on a light.

"Damon? Stefan?" she called, walking out into the hallway again. She went into her dad's office, which was just as dark and empty. Nilly placed her hands on her hips, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. There was no one around at all.

Stepping back into the kitchen she noticed the back door was unlocked. Her eyes scanned the empty yard before she opened the door and stepped out on to the patio.

The air was a bit chillier than usual, signaling that summer was on its death bed. Nilly rubbed her bare arms as she looked across her yard. "Damon?" she called again, her voice shaking in the night air. "Stefan?"

Nothing made a sound, silence. Nilin bit her lips as she wrapped her arms around herself tighter. She went to step off the patio when a breath tingled the back of her neck. She spun around quickly and let out a muffled scream from the hand that clamped over her mouth. Her scream cut off quickly once she noticed who the hand belonged to.

"Shh, you're okay." Stefan said in a harsh whisper and Nilly let out a hitched breath against his hand. "You need to get inside though," he urged removing his hand and prodding her through the back doors again. Once in the house he shut the glass door, drawing the blinds.

"What happened? Why were you out there? Where's Damon?" Nilly asked in a raspy tone, trying to keep calm and quiet. She was failing at both.

"It's okay, everything's fine." Stefan said, a hand on her shoulder. "We were just checking outside, Damon thought he saw something in the woods."

Nilly heart sank and she asked. "Was there anything out there? Why hasn't he come back yet?"

"I'm not sure," Stefan said slowly. "Damon went after something and I stayed closer to the house. Then I heard you calling." Stefan's story was cut short by the back door opening and closing forcefully, making the glass rattle.

"Oh, thank god." Nilin breathed, leaning on the counter as Damon stood in front of them, seething. His hair was wind blown, his stare deadly. Nilin had never seen his eyes so dark before. A small part of her was frightened. This was a brutal contrast from the Damon she had seen in her room a few hours ago.

"The bastard got away," he nearly growled and Nilly flinched.

"He's here?" she asked, shaking. "He was here and you went after him by _yourself_?" Her volume raised form zero to sixty in no time. This second she shouted, Nilin knew Elena heard.

And sure enough, there she came nearly flying down the stairs and into the kitchen. "What? What happened?" she gasped.

Nilin ignored her as she continued her furiously onslaught on Damon. "What the hell Damon? What where you thinking?" she yelled.

"That the dick, who was dumb enough to try and kill me, was in strangling distance!" he shouted back.

Nilly gaped at him. She couldn't comprehend what he was saying. Her head began to feel a little fuzzy and her stomach was working its way up her throat. "I don't feel so good," she groaned, bracing her arms on the counter and dropping her head. It rolled back on forth on her neck as she waited for the nausea to pass.

"Nilin?" someone questioned. She just lifted a hand, motioning for them just to give her a minute.

"Can everyone just stay inside the house tonight?" she asked edgily, not picking her head up. "Just sit and stay." She was rocking back and forth on her heels, a calming movement.

"Nilly, you're safe here. We'll keep watch all night," Stefan said. Nilly didn't know whether it was meant to consol her or Elena, but it helped.

"This 'we' crap is getting real tiring, brother. Speak for yourself." Damon sneered. "I'm going back after him," he announced angrily as he started for the back door again.

"Wait!" Nilly called, her hand out stretched. "Wait, just wait," she said again. "Not tonight, please." Damon stopped his march out the door, but kept his back to her. "Damon," she said his name softly.

Nilly mentally kick herself for the way she sounded so needy. It wasn't like she was, or anything, she was just doing her job in keeping everyone safe. She could see him caving, to her surprise.

He lingered at the doorway for a moment and finally took a step back. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and dropped her hand back on the counter.

"Nilly's right," Elena spoke up. "There's nothing we can do tonight. Let's just go to bed," she said, her voice revealing how tired she was. Nilin saw Stefan go over to Elena and wrap his arms around her waist. Nilly looked back to Damon, catching his dark eyes, and nodded a thank you.

"I need to show you guys something," Nilly sighed, languidly pushing off the counter. She had been contemplating her next move for a while and now seemed like a perfect time. Leaving the kitchen, she went into the hall closet again. This time she moved a wooden panel from the wall and pulled out her stash. Nilin meekly walked back into the kitchen, placing the items on the counter top.

Three pairs of eyes widen as she looked down shyly at her stash. Five stakes, perfectly sharp, a mass of the familiar small purple flowers of vervain and one very long, sharp looking knife laid in front of them.

"You know, just in case." Nilly shrugged innocently.

"Yeah, just in case." Elena mumbled distantly as if trying to comprehend all this.

"Way to go, Buffy." Damon joked arrogantly. Nilly placed her hands back on the counter, leaning into them.

"It was a precaution. If he ever got into the house again, I'd be ready." Nilly defended, wanting to slap the grin off Damon's face. Instead she rolled her eyes and motion to her stash. "I thought this might come in handy. The rest is back in Mystic Falls ."

"The rest?" Elena questioned with a jerked eyebrow.

Nilin inwardly groaned. "Yes, the rest," she confirmed, frustrated. "You think I'd leave here without some sort of protection?" she rhetorically asked, taping the charm on her bracelet.

"No," Elena remarked. "I just didn't expect this," she exaggerated by gesturing to the knife. Nilly shrugged it off, gathering the rest and dumping it into an empty kitchen drawer. She ran her fingers through her hair several times, and let out a breath.

"Do you think he's going to try to get in?" she asked, her voice soft and wavering.

"He can try," Damon snorted, a dark grin on his face that sent shivers down Nilly's spine. She rubbed her upper arms vigorously to get rid of the goose bumps. She began to feel the lump in her stomach that came with the anxieties.

"Nil, you okay?" Elena asked, eyeing her closely.

"Yeah," she tried to smile. "Just tired."

Elena came over and wrapped her arms around Nilly and engulfing her in a hug. "Come on," she urged lightly. Nilly nodded, keeping the small smile plastered on her face more for their benefit then hers.

Before she followed Elena, Nilin opened the kitchen drawer again, slipping one of her sakes into the pocket of her sweatshirt. Elena and Stefan didn't seem to notice, they head started for the stairs. But when she looked up, Damon's eyes were on her. He raised his eyebrow.

She gave him a small shrug. "Good night, Damon," she whispered and continued out of the room, feeling his eyes on her back the whole time.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Its Friday. Fridays are the most amazing day of the week, don't you think? I hope you guys had a wonderful week. Here's an update for you, Chapter 33! Wooo! I really hope you like it, its kinda short but let me know! Love you guys!

**_Favorite, Follow & Review  
_**RLS


	51. Chapter Thirty-Four: The First Chance

**Chapter Thirty-Four: The First Chance**

Night came and went without anymore incidents. Nilin had fallen into her bed and didn't move until the sun broke through the earth again. She woke up before Elena, like normal, but let her sleep. Nilin laid there for a while, staring up at her ceiling. After some time though, she began to feel restless.

Being as quite as possible, she snuck out of the room silently and went into her father's room. Nilin had to stop for a moment as she looked around the room. It still held his familiar scent. Of course a stray tear fell, it seemed like the only thing she was doing theses days was crying. She wiped it away quickly before continuing into the room.

There she pushed through his closet to the back where their safe was hidden. The smell of her father engulfed her even more as she nudged her way between his coats. Turning the dial quickly to the encoded numbers, Nilly unlocked it. She pulled out an old wooden box. Gingerly she sat on the bed, placed the box in her lap and opened it.

In it, laid very carefully, were her mother's wedding ring, a locket, pocket watch, old looking documents, and a gold chain necklace with a pendant on it. The pendant was smooth looking blue rock set in a gold rim. Lapis lazuli, Nilly believed the stone was called. Etched in the back was her last name, _Gilbert_. With a sigh she unraveled it from the box and clasped the long chain around her neck. She closed the lid and placed the box back in the safe, locking it again.

Her father had promised her the necklace when she got older. He told her he was saving it for her wedding day. The necklace was one of the oldest family heirlooms, handed down to the eldest child. For some reason Nilly felt like she had a duty to wear it now. For her father, her mother, her aunt and uncle, for everyone she had lost.

She walked back to the door, looking into the room once more before finally closing it. Down the hall she went back into her bedroom. She sat down on the floor, leaning against the bed and waited. Eventually the lump on the bed began to stir, groaning and stretching.

Elena rolled out of bed, sliding down next to Nilly on the floor. She leaned her head on Nilly's shoulder and huffed.

"Good morning, beautiful." Nilly greeted.

"Hi," she mumbled back. Nilin placed her hand on the side of Elena's head, patting it.  
"We're officially done," Nilly said. "But I think I'm going to move all my furniture into my dad's room make that a storage area and give Mildred this one. It's bigger and has its own bathroom."

"That's a good idea," Elena commented, seeming more awake. "Then maybe she can get the rest of her things from her apartment today and make it official."

Nilly smiled a little. "A few signatures and we're finished."

Simultaneously the two girls let out a deep sigh and couldn't help but giggle.

"How'd are lives get so screwed up?" Elena asked, picking her head off of Nilly's shoulder and looking at her. Then they both began to laugh till they were clutching their aching sides. Still laughing, Elena stood up and stretched her arms above her head.

"I'm going to shower," she called over her shoulder, heading towards the bathroom door. Nilly sighed and got off the floor as well. She straightened the blankets out on her bed and roused up the last box in her arms. Going down the stairs, Nilly shifted the box in her hands so not to stumble and placed it by the rest of them.

She heard the stairs groaned behind her with the weight of someone else coming down them. She turned to find Mildred dressed and ready. "Good morning, peaches."

"Morning," Nilly replied, pulling her hair back in ponytail with a hair tie on her wrist. She glanced down quickly at her pajamas, black flannel shorts and a loose white cotton t-shirt. Guess today wasn't the day to look good.

"Are you heading out?" Nilly asked as Mildred went for her keys.

"I'm going to sign over the apartment at the senior home, though my son won't be too happy about it," she smiled. "I'm grabbing anything I actually still have there and bringing it back here, as well." Nilly couldn't help but notice how free Mildred seemed that she was getting out of the drab senior home. It made Nilin feel good that she was helping one of her family members out, that she was doing right for at least someone.

"Be safe," Nilly said, hugging the aging woman. Who, in return, gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't worry about me, just finish what you need to get done and I'll pick up some groceries for a supper tonight." Mil said as she walked by Nilin and out the door, locking it behind her.

Nilly watched through the peephole until Mildred got into her car and drove away. Nilly heard the groan of the stairs again as Elena came down, her hair still damp. "I'm going to start loading my dad's car up, why don't you check on the guys and get something to eat?" Nilly suggested.

Elena ran her fingers through her hair. "Are you sure you're ready to leave? We could stay longer, you know," she said.

"We can't, but I am ready. It's time to move on. It's the next chapter in my life." Nilin answered with a small lopsided smile.

"Okay," was all Elena said, her eyes seem to water, as she ducked into the family room. Nilly let a long breath and went back up to her room again. She had pulled out a pair of jeans from one of the boxes and quickly slid them on. She left her white v-neck t-shirt on and redid her ponytail.

Then she began the tedious task of loading her things into her father's black ford that was parked in their attached garage. She managed to squeeze three large cardboard boxes into the trunk and some things in the backseat. She attempted to fit more, but she couldn't for the life of her. Wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand, Nilly placed the box she had in her hands on the ground.

She'd have to put the rest of it in Elena's car.

Nilly sighed and went over to the garage door that led into the house. She hit the switch to open the automatic door. Hearing the creaking of metal as it began to lift, Nilly went back over and hoisted the box up. She walked over the garage door as it slowly ascended, revealing the driveway inch by inch. As she went to duck under, she froze, ice sliding down her back. There was someone standing on the other side of the garage.

Christian.

He smiled at her, his dark blonde hair slicked back. With his hands behind his back, he step forward as the groan of metal ceased. He stopped, his foot unable to pass the threshold. Nilly smirked, remembering that at least he couldn't get _in_ the house.

The irked expression on his face made her lips curl even more. But then his eyes shot to hers and all at once the feeling of dread washed over her again. "Clever, very clever." Christian said, testing the barrier with his foot. "I forgot you had a witch on you're side, along with that vampire boyfriend of yours."

Nilly eyed him cautiously, the box in her hands feeling a hundred pounds heavier. "What do you want?" her voice strained.

"You know the answer to that, though you haven't made it very easy. Have you?" he chuckled. "I lost you there for a while after our little run-in in Georgia. But I seemed to stumble into this small town. You wouldn't have known it was there unless you were looking for it," he said smiling. "MysticFalls I believe it's called and the people there were very friendly."  
Nilly's eyes widened in shock, the box in her hands finally slipping and hitting the ground with a loud thud. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as his grin became more pronounced, more sinister.

"And?" she asked, her voice horst.

"We'll I found out some very interesting recent events involving the Gilbert family, a coincidence? I don't think so, but without a trace of you in that horrid little town I decided to come back here. And look what I found," he raised his eyebrow, his eyes raking over Nilly. She forced herself to suppress a shiver. He shifted his weight to the other foot, cocking his head to the side before he continued. "But what would be your connection to that town, hmm?"  
Her dry lips parted in attempt to muster up a response, but her brain was too slow and when she heard the creak of a door behind her opening, her heart dropped. Christian's eyes slid past Nilin as a familiar voice called out to her. "Nil?"

She was frozen, her eyes locked on Christian's face. Nilin didn't need to turn around to see who had made the unfortunate appearance at the terribly wrong time. She watched as his eyes widen and then as a disgusting smile crept over his lips.

"Get in the house, Elena." Nilly warned, her voice sharp and deadly. When she didn't hear any movement from behind her she nearly shouted, "Now!" The door slammed shut quickly and Christian's attention returned back to her.

"So _that_ would be your connection," his eyes glistened and Nilly felt as if she could faint. A sudden blaze of anger welled up in her chest as she took a steady step towards him.

"Do not touch her," she warned, her eyes burning.

His eyebrows wiggled. "Hit a nerve, did I?" he smiled. "Well, it looks like you've made this very easy for me, Nilin."

Nilly's confidence began to falter. A very sick feeling was washing over her as Christian began to pace back and forth in front of her.

"You see, I've grown bored of this little game between us," he began, waving his hand about. "So I'll give you two options. You could either make this easy on yourself and leave with me now. No one would know, no one would get hurt. Very simple," he smiled. Then he halted his pacing, stopping dead in front of her. "Or," he emphasized. "I can find a new toy to keep me entertained. What did you say her name was? Elena, was it?" his lips curled in a unnerving grin.

His eyes sparked at that and Nilly had to stop herself from lunging at him. "Go to hell," she spat.

At that he just laughed at her, shaking his head slightly. Then his face changed completely, stern and cold. "I will give you three chances, Nilly." Christian warned, wiggling his three fingers in front of her. "This being the first, but come the third chance you will be mine. Whether the heads roll or not, it's your choice," he smirked.

She swallowed hard, thoughts running through her head. What would be better for everyone? Safer for them? What about her? Could she do that, walk away with the devil? What would happen to her?

"What's it going to be Nilin?" he asked. Nilin's mouth opened with a shaky intake of air.

But then her response was being drowned out by an animalistic growl behind her. Suddenly she was being pulled away from Christian forcefully, her head snapping backwards. She found herself standing against Damon's tense back as he snarled at Christian.

Damon's hand behind him was clutching her arm tightly, almost painfully. She wrapped her one hand around his wrist and the other one gripped the back of his shirt. Not that she would be able to do much if he decided to go after Christian.

"Damon," Nilin warned breathlessly.

"Yes, _Damon_." Christian mocked. "Why don't you keep out of this one? No need for someone to get hurt. Again, that is_._"

Nilly felt Damon tense up, his grip tightening even more. "Please, Damon," she tried again, but her presence seemed to have been forgotten. Though not by Christian, his eyes slid to Nilly, sparking slightly. He continued to speak to Damon with his eyes still on her. Or whatever part of her that was visible from behind Damon's body.

"Nilly was just about to come with me, weren't you?" he grinned, tilting his head to the side. Then his eyes snapped to Damon, sharp and cold. "Now, hand her over."

Damon laughed, "What makes you think-"

"She is mine!" Christian snapped, making Nilin choke out a gasp as she clutched herself closer to Damon, burying her face in his shirt.

"Somehow I doubt that," he said with a surprising amount of calmness. "But I don't doubt this, the next time I see you and there is nothing holding me back, I _will _kill you. If you touch her, go near her or even blink in her direction, you are dead." Damon threatened, emphasizing the last three words.

The look that came over Christian's face was deadly. His eyes lock with Damon as he seethed, but before he could say a word the garage door came down, closing with a loud creak.

Nilly let out a breath, but suddenly she heard a tremendous amount of noise. Something was hitting the metal garage door, denting it inwards. She could hear Christian's yells and threats all interlocking with her name as he abused the door in a tantrum of fury. One, two, three bangs. Three hallow bangs that caused Nilin to cringe into Damon's back.

Her breath was becoming caught in her throat as she felt Damon's arms around her waist. A rush of air engulfed her and she was suddenly looking around the kitchen. Stefan looked like he was in the middle of restraining a shouting Elena, who seemed to have been on a mission to get into the garage. But now they were both frozen, staring at Nilin. She saw them both let out a long breath.

"I told you he could handle it." Stefan said, letting go of Elena's arms. Elena wiped her eyes before rushing over and hugging Nilly.

"I'm fine," Nilin swore to Elena after she released her from the bear hug. Elena's hands framed Nilin's face as she looked her over, making sure everything was in check.

A waved of panic hit Nilly for a moment when she realized that Damon was no longer near her. She pulled out of Elena's hold to look behind her. Nilin's heart calmed when she saw his dark figure, leaning against the wall.

Without warning, he pushed off the wall and stalked over to Nilin, causing Elena to back away. Just inches away from her, they locked eyes with each other. "Were you going to do it?" he asked Nilly. His face was expressionless.

"Do what?" Elena questioned, looking to Nilly. There was no confusion for Nilin though. She knew what he was talking about, no need for further explanation.

Nilly frowned. "I-"

"Were you going to go with him?" he said forcefully, taking an intimidating step towards Nilin. The room grew silent. Nilly was lost for words, her lips trembled slightly.

"I-I-"she stuttered.

"Don't tell me you were actually considering it!" he yelled at her, causing Nilin to jump back.

Finding her voice, Nilly glared up at him. "How can I tell you anything? You won't let me get a damn word in," she shouted back.

He stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest and motioning for her to talk.

She gritted her teeth. "The thought crossed my mind," she said honestly.

"Nilin," Elena breathed. "What, why?"

"Because," Nilly started, her voice getting louder as she looked around the room. "He threatened you, Elena. He saw you, you're no longer safe. He threatened the people I love and it was a way to keep everyone safe. If I left with him you would be safe and it would all be over."  
"That's the point!" Damon said. "It would be over, _you _would be over. Meaning you would be dead," he spat the word.

"At least it would have been my choice, Damon!" she said back with the same intensity.

"Like I would let you," Damon sneered, turning his back to her.

"You can't act like that!" Nilly shouted. "Not around me!"

Damon turned quickly, staring her down. His dark eyes set her back but the burn of anger still tingled in her chest. "Why not?" he questioned. "It's nothing I haven't done before. Why—?"

"Because I don't want you to be what other people think you are!" Nilly snapped, her hands flying up.

"What? A _monster_?" He asked, his voice practically venomous.

"Yes! No," she thought for a moment. "No, that's not what I meant, Damon."

"Then what is it that you meant?" he asked, glaring at her.

"Damon," she warned trying to create distance between them. He wouldn't let that happen, he matched every one of her steps.

"No, go ahead and say it, Nilin," he pushed. "Say it," he leaned in closer to her.

"Because I can't fall for a vampire again!" she yelled. The room froze, everyone froze. She stared at him, her mouth forming the last syllable. He stared at her, his eyes holding frost.

A disturbing almost smirk slithered on to his lips as he spoke. "Sorry to disappoint you, Nilin, but last time I checked, I'm still a vampire."

"I wish that you didn't have to act like one," she said shouted at him, her fist clenched. She gritted her teeth, the anger bubbling over. Damon stepped dangerously closer to her, dissolving the last of the space between them.

"I am not human," he pronounced each word precisely.

"No, you're right. You're not! But you _are_ impulsive and idiotic and a pain in my ass," she said with the same precision, matching his glare. Nilly noticed the tremble in his clenched hands.

"Is that what I am?" he laughed, but the bitterness returned. "At least I don't need to be escorted everywhere I go because I'm in fucking danger all the time!" he spat.

Nilly was silent again, his words hitting her. She swallowed hard. "Oh," she began. "So I'm a burden on you?" The room fell silent once more. Nilly bit her lip and nodded at him. "And we're back to square one, with me walking out that door."

"Nilin…" Damon began, but she shook her head. Turning on her heels she left the room before the tears fell down her cheeks.

* * *

Elena stood there motionless as she watched Nilly dash up the staircase and Damon flash out of the room. Stefan and Elena slowly turned to each other, not sure as what to say or to do. With one more glance at one another other Elena headed for the stairs as Stefan went after Damon down the hall. That was their job after all, as siblings, to look after the other.

She knew Stefan was dealing with Damon and his behavior, so now she had to find Nilly. She stalked to the end of the hallway. Three taps on Nilly's door supplied no answer, she tried again. Still nothing, so she did it once more.

"Open the door, Nilly. Please." Elena asked, again no answer. "I swear to God, Nilin. I'll- I'll break this door down if you don't open it." There was silence from the other side, but then Elena heard the click of the door unlocking. It opened half way to reveal an expressionless Nilly.

"I want to go home, Elena," she said, her voice so broken. Elena nodded.

"Okay, okay. We'll go home," she promised as her voice softened to a hush. Stepping into the room, she enveloped Nilly into her arms.

"Please, just take me home." Nilly cried into Elena's shoulder, shuddering. "Please, Elena. I just want to go home."

Elena felt her heart cracking as she hugged her sister, running a soothing hand up and down her back. Nilly just gripped her, mumbling over and over again.

"We'll leave, okay. We'll go." Elena said, as she somehow managed to maneuver Nilly on the bed and wrap blanket around her. She sat there, Nilly's hand in hers, and waited for Nilly's eyes to close. They did eventually, and the grip on Elena's hand slackened. When she was one hundred percent sure Nilly was asleep, she slipped her hand away and stole out of the room.

Once downstairs she found Stefan in the kitchen, looking out the window into the backyard. He heard her approaching, of course, and turn towards her.  
"Hi," she smiled sadly as she came up to him. "Where is, um-?"

"He's drowning in a bottle of whiskey." Stefan answered her.

"Oh," Elena frowned. She sighed as Stefan stepped closer to her, placing his hands on her upper arms. She tried to make her smile more genuine.

"Is she okay?" he asked solemnly.

"She will be," Elena replied. "She's sleeping now, I think she needed it."

"Nilin's had a rough few days," Stefan said. "This didn't help."

"I knew something like this was going to happen," she told him. "It was bound to with the two of them."

"Yeah, but we had our fights too, maybe this just needs to happen." Stefan said, taking her into his arms.

"But we were never so vicious to each other," she said. "We aren't explosive like that." He didn't say anything, just rested his chin on top of her head. "We should leave today, as soon as possible." Elena finally spoke.

Stefan nodded as he cupped the side of Elena's cheek. "We'll go, don't worry," he said. The last of Elena's strength flattered as she pulled herself closer to Stefan. They stood there, silent like that until they heard the sounds of the front door opening.

Around the corner came Mildred, two brown grocery bags in her hands. She looked between Stefan and Elena, reading the expressions on their faces. "What happen?" she asked, her voice drawn.

"It's time for us to leave, Mil," was all Elena had to say.

With that Mildred nodded and began to unload her bags. "I understand, but let's wait until dusk. It will be safer for ya'll," she explained.

"She's right. That will give us plenty of time too." Stefan agreed.

Elena nodded in accord.

"Prefect, and all this food won't be going to waste," Mildred smiled a little as she pulled out a pan. And just like that, Elena felt okay. She noticed Mildred had that effect on people. She eased the tensions in the room. Elena let a long breath out as she walked over to Mil and began to help her prepare dinner.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Oye, hello my amazing readers! Here's Chapter 34 for you guys, pretty long but pretty eventful. Christian threw a tail spin on everyone's happiness. Nilin and Damon have come to blows, how do think that will affect their relationship? As usual, I wanna know what you guys think. Love hearing your opinions, so let me know. I'll see you guys Friday!

**_Favorite, Follow & Review_**


	52. Chapter Thirty-Five: The Car Ride

**Chapter Thirty-Five: The Car Ride **

Nilly had always been good at acting — or deceiving, which ever term was preferred. There was no way in hell that she could sleep. _She_ knew that, but Elena didn't. Nilin let Elena think she was fast asleep though, just to give her one less thing to worry about.

Now she just laid there, her eyes scanning the ceiling. Her stomach was still churning over all of it; Christian, Damon, everything.

She tried to grasp some reasoning for her and Damon's actions, but it kept slipping through her fingers. Both sides had a fault that tampered with a solid answer to who had been wrong and who had been right. She was right, though… right?

Yes, Nilin was sure of it.

It was her choice and her future that was being threatened. She never let anyone screw with that before, so why now? Well, why now? Nilin secretly knew the answer to that, though she didn't want to admit it to herself. There were new factors to consider that weren't there in the past. She had to weigh every option, outcome and consequence because it didn't only affect her anymore.

Again, Nilin felt the roll of nausea in her stomach. This caused her to turn over, laying on her side and clutching her stomach. She forced her eyes shut, blocking out the thought of puking. She declined to dinner when Elena came asking. Elena understood of course, and said that she would handle everything else. For that, Nilly was grateful, she didn't want to leave the bed.

The bed was warm and safe, everything outside the bed not so much.

Unfortunately, an hour or two later she had to leave. Elena was calling her from downstairs. It was time to go back to Mystic Falls . Nilin dragged herself downstairs knowingly. No one was going to let her out of their sights. She'd have to journey the car ride back with a companion. She hoped it would be Elena, even Stefan. Not once did she think Damon would offer, let alone put up a fight.

Once she got downstairs, she saw Mildred standing there to say goodbye. The old woman wrapped her arms around Nilin instantly. Mil might be old be she had some strength in her, Nilin almost couldn't breath in her bear hug. She placed a tender kiss on Nilly's cheek. "I love you, peaches. No matter what." Mildred smiled. "I'll keep this place safe and sound for you. And when you're ready, you can come back anytime. Got it?"

"Of course, Mil," Nilin said hugging her again. "I love you too, and thank you for everything you've done for me over the years. I wouldn't have made it without you."

Mil just smiled as she walked Nilin to the garage door. Nilly stopped in the doorway when she saw who was leaning against her dad's car. She turned to Mildred.

"He insisted he'd drive you back. Said he was the only one qualified enough to do it. Elena and Stefan tried to argue back, guess they lost," she explained.

"Yeah, there's no winning an argument when it's with that man." Nilin muttered before she said her last goodbyes to Mildred. Without saying a word, Nilin walked past Damon and slid into the backseat of the car.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Elena asked through the open window as she stood in the garage.

"I'm fine, I swear." Nilly replied as she leaned her head back on the seat. She could go an entire car ride without talking. It wouldn't be that hard.

Elena gave her a tight smile and squeezed her hand before the window abruptly rolled up. Nilly just glared at her unwelcomed driver. She caught a glimpse of his smirk in the rearview window and huffed. Using her arm as a pillow, she scooted down on the seat, pulled her legs up and closed her eyes.

This was going to be an extremely long, quiet car ride. God, she hated the quiet. As the car began to move, Nilin put her earphones in, turning the volume up loudly. She must have zoned out to the music as her fake slumber quickly transformed into a real one.

_It's a switch flipped_

_It's a pill tipped back,  
It's moon eclipsed  
And I can tell you that when the lights come on  
I'll be ready for this  
It's in your bloodstream_

_A collision of atoms_

_That happens before your eyes_

_It's marathon run or a mountain_

_You scale without thinking of size._

* * *

He was silently burning in his own personal hell. That's exactly what this was. The tension in the car was thick, the air filled with her scent which was intoxicating to him and he was sitting there in the silence, forced to hear her heartbeat while she was she curled up in the backseat.

He stole a look in the rearview mirror at Nilin. She was laying across the back seat, her eyes shut. He noticed her clenched hands and found himself wishing he could see into her head again. Damon let out an inner groan realizing how much of a fucking gluten for punishment he really was. Clearly, he was one. He did search for a cold hearted bitch blindly for a hundred years, just to get in too deep with a girl who looks exactly like her. That's why he was sitting in this car right now instead of his idiot brother or Elena. He's the only one that could keep Nilin safe.

Damon focused back on the tail lights in front of him. They had just started driving and already he was thinking like this. He still hadn't cooled off completely yet and the few douses of alcohol that were intended to help seemed to be doing just the opposite. Damon wasn't one for squirming, but right now that's what he was doing. He glanced at the backseat again, and froze.

Nilin's eyes were open, she was staring at him. Her hair fell over her cheek slightly, as she peered up at him from her make shift bunk in the back of the car. He was consumed by the crystal blue of her eyes before she jerked her head away and turned on her back. He sighed and turned back to the road, gripping the steering wheel.

How'd this end up with her hating him, _again_? He wasn't the one at fault. He was keeping her alive, he was keeping his promise. She was too thick headed to see that. They had both lost their cool and they both had said things that they shouldn't have, but how the hell did this turn on him? He'd let her hate him though, it was easier for him and at least she was alive to do it.  
He heard her sigh in the backseat, a low whine of a breath, and it caused his eyes to slide to the rear view mirror again. She was sitting up now, she must have been fidgeting around because her hair was sticking up in different directions. Damon tried to hold back his smile.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," he chimed.

She didn't look at him. "I wasn't sleeping," she mumbled.

He smirked. "I know." Damon retorted.

"You don't know anything," she said under her breath. Just a whisper but it seemed like Nilin had forgotten that she was in a car with a vampire.

"What was that?' he asked, a grin pulling at his lips. She just huffed and looked out the window. The car grew silent again, the only sound was her breathing.

"So is this going to be what it's like now, one word answers and snotty remarks?" he asked in pure attempt to end the tension.

"Yep," was all she replied.

"Well, then this is going to suck," he determined, getting another 'yep' of agreement from Nilin. His patience was getting short lived. This whole avoidance was ridiculous and poorly played out on her part. "That's it," he said as he turned the steering wheel sharply, causing the car to veer off the road and come to a stop on the shoulder.

"Damon!" Nilin gasped, her body lurching at the quick stop. Well at least he was able to arouse some sort of reaction from her. "Damon, this isn't funny!"

"No, you're right, it's not," he said back to her, pivoting around in his seat to face her. Her hands were clenched like her jaw and she was fuming.

"You can't just stop the car here, Stefan and Elena are going to think something happened," she explained, even though he was in no mood for her reasoning.

"They'll live," he blew it off. "Right now, you're going to listen to what I have to say. Got it," he demanded, catching her eye. She was about to protest.

"But-"

"No buts," he order and her mouth shout again. "Remember that time I found you curled up on your floor?" he asked, his voice as steady as his stare. Her cheeks flushed and her head ducked down as if she had just been hit in the stomach. That was good, that meant there was emotion attached with the memory.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"And you remember when you apologized for being a burden?" he pressed on. Her eyes were still cast down as she gave a like nod.

"I remember," she whispered.

"Do you remember what I said to you?" he asked, his voice softening. She was silent for a while. He heard a quick hitch of her breath as he waited for an answer. "Do you?" he pushed.

"Yeah," she nodded, looking up at him finally. "Yeah, I remember." He continued to stare at her, his features expressionless. He wasn't satisfied with that answer. She sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears. "You told me to never think of myself that way, that- that I wasn't," she choked out.

"Good," was all he said, and turned back around to face the steering wheel. "Just remember that."

"Wait, wait. That's-that's it?" she gaped in the back seat, scooting forward.

"Yup," he grinned.

"Well, then it's my turn. You have to listen to me now," she demanded.

"No, I don't." Damon retorted.

"But I heard you out." Nilin reasoned, crossing her arms over her chest. He gave a long languid sigh as the darkened highway began to pass around them again.

"Fine," he granted, but suddenly Nilin was silent. He checked back at her, she had her elbows on her knees, perched at the edge of the backseat. Her head was down, hair falling over her shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispered finally. His eyebrows peaked up. "You saved me again, today and I want to thank you."

"Well, that wasn't expected."

"Yeah, but you need to understand Damon, my choice has been taken from me before, by people I had once put my trust in. I'm terrified that that's going to happen again. If I want to cut my hair, I should. If I want to jump off a bridge, I should. If I wanted to walk out of that garage this evening, I should have."

Damon looked back at her, her head was still down, her knee bouncing up and down. He couldn't see her eyes, but he knew by the hitch in her voice that they were watering.

"I understand that Nilin, but-"

"I wouldn't have done it though," she cut in. "Left, that is. I couldn't. I'm too much of a coward," Nilin rambled along. "I'm not brave enough so even though I had the thought in my head, there was a good chance that nothing would transpire from it," she took in a breath. "I just… I'm really scared."

Damon understood, he'd seen the fear in her eyes for a while now. She's never said it so clearly to him before, though. He focused on the road again as Nilin slid back in the seat.

"You don't have to be though, you're safe with me." Damon said, trying to slow her erratic heartbeat that he heard hammering in his ears.

"See that's the thing," Nilin frowned. "I'm not safe with you. Not when you cause feelings to bubble up in me. I made a promise that I wouldn't let history repeat itself, Damon."

Damon was lost for words, it was a rare moment for him. He kept his eyes on the road and his hands at 10 and 2. "How do you think I feel?" he spoke finally. "Even though everyone hates to admit it, you're Katherine's double Nilin. Granted, other than the looks, you are nothing like the bitch, but still."

"Damon…" she went to say but he cut her off.

"Just realize what you're saying when you talk about history repeating itself. I might as well be jumping right back to 1864," he told her, looking at the road.

She was quiet again, but this time Damon couldn't bring himself to look back at her. "I didn't really think about this that much until tonight. Until Christian showed up," she said quietly. "I never put what you and I are in perspective. And now I see that we're dangerous, Damon. We're a hurricane and a volcano."

"So?" was all he answered. He knew she was right, they were both impulsive, unpredictable beings. It was in their nature.

"Aren't you scared?" she whispered.

"Nope," he said, sending a smirk to the back seat. He could see Nilin smile back through the rearview mirror. Then, all of a sudden, she was climbing over the console and slipping into the passenger seat next to him. "What are you-?"

"Talk to me about something else, please? Anything else." Nilin asked, straightening herself out. Damon couldn't help but shake his head and smile at her.

* * *

By the time the four of them crossed Mystic Fall lines it was somewhere between late night and early morning. Nilly wasn't a hundred percent sure though, she had dozed off at one point. Only to be woken up by someone laying her in the cool softness of her bed.

In her still dozed state she stretched out on the bed, running her hand over her comforter, and opened her eyes wider. She looked towards her window to find Damon, with one shoe on the sill, about to leave. "Thought you were a heavier sleeper," he murmured, stepping back into the room and shutting the window.

"Sorry," she sighed, pulling herself up. She yawned, running her fingers though her hair in attempts to get it out of her face. Reaching for her feet, she struggled to unlace her converse. Her fumbling fingers were replaced by strong cool ones as Damon came over and sat on the edge of the bed. He took her foot in his lap and untied each of her shoes.

Nilin drowsily leaned back on her hands. "Thank you," she smiled. They had talked for most of the car ride. He did what she asked and took her mind off of everything that had happened before. Nilly found it almost reassuring how they were able to talk each other off the cliff.

Still, there seemed to be cautiousness between the two of them since their blow out in Mildred's kitchen.

"Can I apologize?" she asked suddenly as Damon laid her other foot back on the bed. She crossed her legs under her, resting back on the headboard.

Damon slid next to her. "For?" his eyebrow raised.

"I took some low blows today, or yesterday… what ever day it is," she said, rubbing her eyes. The bed vibrated slightly with Damon's silent laughter.

"Mine were lower," he joked.

Nilin smiled. "So we've reached a mutual forgiveness?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.

"For now," he smirked. Even in the faint light she could see the glisten of his teeth.

"For now," Nilin agreed as she slipped her feet under the sheets. She shimmed into bed, laying her head on the pillow. Lying down, she took in the scent of her room as it mingled with Damon's closeness. She scrunched her pillow and turned over so she could peer up at him. He watched her silently, a smile still on his lips, but this one was softer.

"I know you were only trying to help," she whispered with hooded eyes. "I'll just have to get used to people looking out for me, I guess."

His smiled widened. "I'll just have to act like less of vampire, I guess," he retorted.

"I didn't mean that, I was just angry," she sighed. "That's a part of you though. I've seen it and now I just have to accept it."

He was quiet next to her, still leaning on her headboard. A strange look was on his face, as if he was somewhat speechless. "I can do it though. I mean, I already have in some ways," she further explained, trying to reassure him. A fear came over her that he might leave and she quickly grasped his hand, tangling their fingers. "I can do it," she said again, nodding her head once at him as he met her eyes.

Damon unclasped his hands from hers, and she let him. His fingers came down and brushed against her cheek bone, sending electricity down her spine. "And I'll have to accept your martyred stubbornness," he countered.

"Oh, however will you do it," she rolled her eyes with a slight chuckle. Damon smirked, leaning towards her.

"It's going to very, very, very hard," he breathed, inches from her face. Nilin froze in her bed, her last breath lingering between them before his lips brushed hers. It was just long enough to make her lips tingle before he pulled away. She made a sound of annoyance in the back of her throat, which caused him to laugh.

"You suck," she mumbled under her breath, flipping on her back. His laughter grew.

"Goodnight, Nilin." Damon just smirked as he slid off her bed. She felt his lips press to her cheek and then he was gone, through her now open window.

Nilly laid there for a moment, unable to help the giddiness she felt. And for that single moment she thought that everything would be okay.

Little did she realize how wrong she truly was.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Hey guys! Happy Friday! Here's Chapter 35 :D I hope you like it! I wanna thank all the new Followers and your reviews. You guys are amazing! I'll see you on Monday, have a fabulous weekend!

_**Favorite, Follow & Review**_

RLS

**Featured Songs:  
**Bravado by Lorde


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